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MAY  2012 


FOUR  DOLLARS 


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CONTENTS 


10 


13 


16 


20 


Fishing  Throiigli  Rivers  of  Histon 
bv  Chai'lie  Petrocci 
At  C.  F.  Phelps \\"\L\  aiul  the  upper 
Raf)paIiaiinock  Ri\  er.  anglei-s  ran  snare  a  hit  of" 
( :i\  i I  \\  ar  histon  aloii^^  with  tl lei v  eatel i . 


Bass  Fishing's  Next  Generation 

hv  Diwk]  Hart 

A  new  outreach  efTort  ofTlie  Bass  Federation 
tar<^ets\<)unfran'rlerson  familiar  "round 
school  ])r()|)eit\     at  the  enri  oCthe  day. 


Pack  to  Sun  ive 

l)v  Gail  Brown 

I  leaf  led  out  for  a  dav  hike!'  E\en  the  most 
e\|ierienced  hikei"s  i*ecommend  taking  a  pack 
uTlh  essential.  life-saxTniJ  items. 


A  \ bice  for  the  Rivers 

hv  Randall  Shank 

Foithe  past  2()\ears.a  small  hul  dedicated  cadre 
ofxolnnteers  has  heen  lookiuj^out  tor.and 
speaking  up  for.  two  outstanding  ri\ers. 


Room  Enough  ff)r  All 
bvWillianiH.  Funk 


Farmland  isajirecious  resource  thai  henefitsall 
of  us.  wildlife  included.  Protecting  it  from  ile\el- 
o|)ment  is  one  of  the  .states  manyvisionan  goals. 


0  ZL  \\  here  There's  a  W  ill,  There's  a  \\  ay 


l)\  Bruce  Ingrain 


\  \oung  man  in  ( .raig  (!ount\  emhodies  the  very 
hest  of  the  outdoors  s|)irit  and  ser"ves  as  a  role 
model  to  others  challenge-d  h\  a  physical  disability. 


26  AFIELD  AND  AFLOAT 

28  \\  hiletail  Biol<)g\   •  30    Vccommodating  Wildlife 
32  PholoTi|j.s  •  33   On  llu'Water  •  34  Dining  hi 

\BOUT  THE  CO\  ER:    l.ai-ciiu.ulli  hass.  Slon  on  na-c  10.    '   Bill  Liiidiicr 


BOB  DUNCAN 
Executive  Director 


www.wsfr75.com 


Recently  I  read  an  anicle  in  a  well-respected  publication 
suggesting  that  we  have  entered  into  a  new  era  where 
man  is  controlling  everything  by  virtue  of  his  impacts  upon  the 
environment.  The  concept  put  forth  was  that  "mother  nature  is 
dead"  and  that  man's  direct  effect  on  a  substantial  portion  of  the 
earth's  vegetation  has  reached  a  tipping  point;  one  where,  sup- 
posedly, it  is  man  who  will  decide  what  is  left  of  nature.  The  ar- 
ticle made  a  compelling  case  of  how  man,  as  a  species — the 
Johnny-Come-Lately  to  this  planet — has  had  and  continues  to 
have  a  dominant  impact  upon  our  world. 

There  is  no  question  that  we  have  changed  or  otherwise  af- 
fected many  of  the  ecosystems  around  the  globe.  Given  our 
knowledge  about  current  issues  associated  with  the  world's 
oceans  and  marine  resources,  we  also  know  that  our  impacts  are 
not  limited  to  land  masses.  We  have  altered  our  earthly  habitat, 
and  we  are  now  experiencing  a  broad  range  of  challenges,  in- 
cluding a  war  on  invasive  species,  water  shortages,  the  loss  of 
flora  and  fauna,  and  related  resource  issues.  The  list  continues. 

I  am  certainly  not  a  futurist  or  a  doomsday  predictor,  but  I 
do  believe  that  we  have  the  power  within  our  individual  actions 
to  change  the  outcome  of  this  planetary  roulette  game.  By 
changing  our  habits  and  expectations,  we — as  individuals  and 
as  a  race — can  change  the  outcome.  We  must  not  only  live  this 
credo  but  convince  others  that  our  ftiture  depends  upon  our 
ability  to  turn  to  more  sustainable  enterprises. 

This  theme  of  sustainability  courses  throughout  the  stories 
inside,  perhaps  none  more  so  than  "A  Voice  for  the  Rivers" — 
the  feature  about  the  Mattaponi  &  Pamunkey  Rivers  Associa- 
tion— and  "Room  Enough  for  All, "  about  the  importance  of 
preserving  Virginia's  farmland.  Like  other  stewardship-based 
messages,  I  am  reminded  of  the  importance  of  each  individual's 
actions,  and  example  to  others,  in  effecting  change.  Time  and 
again,  it  is  the  rumbling  of  action  at  the  ground — or  grass- 
roots— level  first,  picking  up  volume  as  it  rises  upward,  that 
forces  us  to  re-think  the  way  we  are  conduaing  ourselves. 

Adopting  sustainable  living  practices  is  both  necessary  and 
exciting,  and  has  the  power  to  unleash  our  creative  human  spir- 
it. The  alternative — living  in  a  world  without  nature — is  un- 
tenable to  me,  as  I  suspect  it  is  to  you. 


MISSION  STATEMENT 

To  manage  Virginia's  wildlife  and  inland  fish  :o  maintain  optimum  populations  of  all  species  to  serve  the  needs  of  the  Commonwealth;  To 
provide  opportunity  for  all  to  enjoy  wildlife,  inland  fish,  boating  and  related  outdoor  recreation  and  to  work  diligently  to  safeguard  the  rights 
of  the  people  to  hunt,  fish  and  harvest  game  as  provided  for  in  the  Constitution  of  Virginia;  To  promote  safety  for  persons  and  property  in 
connection  with  boating,  hunting  and  fishing;  To  provide  educational  outreach  programs  and  materials  that  foster  an  awareness  of  and  appre- 
ciation for  Virginia's  fish  and  wildlife  resources,  their  habitats,  and  hunting,  fishing,  and  boating  opportunities. 

Dedicated  to  the  Conservation  of  Virginia's  Wildlife  and  Natural  Resources 


VOLUME  73 


NUMBER  5 


COMMONWEALTH  OF  VIRGIN]/ 
Bob  McDonnell,  Governor 

HUNTING  &  FISHING 
LICENSE  FEES 

Subsidized  this  publication 

SECRETARY  OF  NATURAL  RESOURCEsj 
Douglas  W.  Domenech 

DEPARTMENT  OF  GAME  AM) 

INLAND  FISHERIES 

Bob  Duncan 

Executive  Director 

MEMBERS  OF  THE  BOARD  ~| 

Lisa  Caruso,  Church  Road 
J.  Brent  Clarke,  III,  Great  Falls 
Curtis  D.  Colgate,  Virginia  Beach 
Ben  Davenport,  Chatham 
Garry  L.  Gray,  Bowling  Green 
James  W.  Hazel,  Oakton 
Randy  J.  Kozuch,  Alexandria 
Hugh  Palmer,  Highland  Springs 
P.  Scott  Reed,  Jr.,  Manakin-Sabot 
Leon  O.  Turner,  Fincastle 
Charles  S.  Yates,  Cleveland 

MAG.'\Z1NE  STAFF 

Sally  Mills,  Editor 

Lee  Walker,  Ron  Messina,  Contributing  Editors    i 

Emily  Pels,  Art  Director 

Carol  Kushlak,  Production  Manager  i 

{ 

Printing  by  Progress  Printing  Plus,  Lynchburg,  VA 

Virginia  WiWife  (ISSN  0042  6792)  is  ptiblished  month; 
by  the  Virginia  Department  of  Game  and  Inland  Fisherie 
Send  all  subscription  orders  and  address  changes  to  Virgin; 
Wildlife,  P.  O.  Box  830,  Boone,  Iowa  50036.  Address  a 
other  communications  concerning  this  publication  to  Vi 
ginia  Wildlife,  P.  O.  Box  1 1104,  4010  West  Broad  Stree 
Richmond,  Virginia  23230-1104.  Subscription  rates  ai 
$12.95  for  one  year,  $23.95  for  two  years;  $4.00  per  eac 
back  issue,  subject  to  availability.  Oui-of-country  rate 
$24.95  for  one  year  and  must  be  paid  in  U.S.  funds.  No  r< 
funds  for  amounts  less  than  S5.00.  To  subscribe,  call  toll 
free  (800)  710-9369.  POSTMASTER:  Please  send  x 
address  changes  to  Virginia  Wildlife,  P.O.  Box  830,  Boon, 
Iowa  50036.  Postage  for  periodicals  paid  at  Richmond.  V'i 
ginia  and  additional  entry  offices. 

Copyright  2012  by  the  Virginia  Department  ot  Came  an 
Inland  Fisheries.  All  rights  reserved. 

The  Department  of  Game  and  Inland  Fi.sheries  shall  affor 
to  all  persons  an  equal  access  to  Department  programs  an 
facilities  without  regard  to  race,  color,  religion,  national  or 
gin,  disability,  sex,  or  age.  If  you  believe  that  you  have  bee 
discriminated  against  in  any  program,  activity  or  facilir 
please  write  to:  Virginia  Department  of  Game  and  Inlan 
Fisheries,  ATTN:  Compliance  Officer,  (4010  West  Broa, 
Street.)  P  O.  Box  1 1 1 04,  Richmond,  Virginia  23230-1 10* 

This  publication  is  intended  for  general  informational  pui 
poses  only  and  every  effort  has  been  made  to  ensure  its  ai 
curacy.  The  information  contained  herein  does  not  serve ; 
a  legal  representation  offish  and  wildlife  laws  or  regulation 
The  Virginia  Department  of  Game  and  Inland  Fisheries  dot 
not  assume  responsibility  for  any  change  in  dates,  regul^ 
tion,s,  or  information  that  may  occur  after  publication. 


^  *■  Kelly's  for<tJr!r 

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Rivers 


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OF 


Map  by  Sneden,  Robert  Knox,  1 832- 1 9 1 8,  a  U.S.  Army  soldier  or  employee 


C.F.  Phelps 

Wildlife 

Management  Area 

Offers  Fishing, 

Hunting, 

AND  History 

by  Charlie  Petrocci 

It  was  a  chilly  morning,  with  fog  lilting 
slowly  off  the  rock-strewn  river.  Long- 
nose  gar  ambushed  baitfish  up  against 
the  bank,  fat  shad  broke  the  waters  surface, 
and  bullhead  catfish  groveled  along  the  bot- 
tom for  unknown  edibles.  As  dawn  crawled 
up  the  treeline,  large  shadows  formed  along 
the  rivers  edge.  Silently  these  shapes  entered 
the  fast-moving,  cold  water.  Suddenly  the 
stillness  was  shattered  and  the  water  began  to 
boil,  not  from  feeding  fish,  but  fi-om  horses, 
bullets,  and  falling  men.  Deer  ran  through 
the  woods  and  the  gar,  catfish,  and  shad  swam 
for  their  lives. 

This  was  the  opening  scene  at  Kelly's 
Ford  on  the  Rappahannock  River  during  the 
morning  of  March  17,  1863.  It  was  the  third 
year  of  the  Civil  War,  and  the  Rappahannock 
had  become  the  line  in  the  sand  for  the  Con- 
federacy during  those  bloody  days  of  batde. 
Because  of  this,  the  river  was  frequently  con- 
tested and  fords,  crossings,  and  bridges  be- 
came military  hot  spots.  Today  many  of  those 
historic  hot  spots  along  Virginias  rivers  are 
great  fishing  hot  spots  as  well. 

Numerous  rivers  in  Virginia  played  an 
important  role  during  the  Civil  War — the 
James,  Appomattox,  and  Chickahominy,  to 
name  a  few.  Anglers  fishing  these  historic 
areas  today  often  unknowingly  cast  alongside 
the  ghosts  of  the  past.  One  of  the  recreation 
areas  steeped  in  history  is  the  C.F.  Phelps 
Wildlife  Management  Area  (WMA),  located 
astride  the  Rappahannock  River  in  both 
Culpeper  and  Fauquier  counties. 


Q 

-f     Anglers  enjoy  a  leisurely  fishing  float  down  the 
Q      Rappahannock  at  Kelly's  Ford. 


VIRGINIA  WILDLIFE    ♦    www.HuntFishVA.com 


C.F.  Phelps  WMA 

The  Battle  of  Kelly's  Ford  took  place  on  the 
western  side  of  the  Rappahannock  River,  in 
and  around  the  C.F.  Phelps  Wildlife  Manage- 
ment Area.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  bridge  and 
adjacent  WMA  boat  slide  area  are  situated  in 
the  thick  of  the  historic  site.  Just  200  yards 
downstream  from  the  boat  slide  parking  lot  is 
the  actual  crossing  site  of  the  Union  cavalry 
on  that  historic  day.  Behind  the  sign  marking 
the  site  are  the  remnants  of  the  Confederate 
riffle  pits  which  overlooked  the  river. 

C.F  Phelps  WMA  is  a  beautiful,  well- 
managed  area  offering  the  public  wildlife- 
related  outdoor  recreation  opportunities, 
with  numerous  places  to  park  and  access  ad- 
ministrative roads.  The  primary  activities  here 
include  hunting,  fishing,  canoeing,  hiking, 
and  bird  watching.  Of  the  4,539  acres  on  the 
property,  over  1,000  of  these  are  open  mead- 
ows and  fields.  There  is  also  a  3-acre  pond 
hosting  bass,  catfish,  and  sunfish.  And  the 
sound  of  gunshots  still  echo  at  C.F.  Phelps, 
though  now  they  come  from  modern 
weapons  wielded  by  hunters  seeking  rabbit, 
deer,  and  squirrel,  or  from  sportsmen  utiliz- 
ing the  modern  sighting-in  range  located  on 
the  property. 

One  of  the  nice  attributes  about  Vir- 
ginia's wildlife  management  areas  is  that 
many  of  them  are  open  for  camping.  And  this 
includes  C.F.  Phelps.  This  is  primitive  camp- 
ing, so  don't  expect  to  find  toilets,  showers,  or 
pre-cut  firewood  for  sale.  Camping  in  these 


Kelly's  Ford.  Harper's  Weekly,  1 863 


The  Battle  of  Kelly's  Ford 

The  Battle  of  Kelly's  Ford  was  not  a  large  Civil  War  engagement  com- 
pared to  others  fought  in  Virginia,  but  It  was  significant.  A  classic 
cavalry  battle,  it  took  place  in  the  fields  along  the  Rappahannock  River, 
which  formed  the  dividing  line  between  Union  and  Confederate  armies 
during  the  1863  and  1864  campaigns.  And  the  battle  set  the  stage  for  the 
forthcoming  larger  actions  fought  at  Brandy  Station  and  Remington  Sta- 
tion, also  located  around  the  Rappahannock.  Kelly's  Ford  was  important 
because  it  was  the  first  time  in  the  war  that  Union  cavalry  held  the  line  and 
beat  back  Confederate  troopers  on  their  own  ground. 

The  riverside  battle  unfolded  because  Confederate  General  Fitzhugh 
Lee  (a  nephew  of  Robert  E.  Lee)  had  been  raiding  across  the  Rappahan- 
nock, targeting  Union  Army  of  the  Potomac  supply  lines.  Frustrated, 
Union  commander  General  Joe  Hooker  dispatched  Brig.  General  William 
Averell  and  3,000  cavalry  to  seek  and  destroy  Fitzhugh  Lee's  cavalry.  Ironi- 
cally, Lee  and  Averell  were  good  friends  at  West  Point  before  the  war  And 
on  his  last  raid  Lee  left  a  note  for  his  friend,  stating,  "I  wish  you  would  put 
up  your  sword  and  leave  my  state.  If  you  won't  go  home,  return  my  visit 
and  bring  me  a  sack  of  coffee." 

On  the  morning  of  St.  Patrick's  Day,  1863,  Gen.  Averell  splashed 
across  the  Rappahannock  at  Kelly's  Ford  with  2,100  Union  cavalry  troops 
and  a  battery  of  cannon  to  pay  a  visit  to  his  old  friend  (900  soldiers  were 
sent  upriver).  The  troopers  had  to  force  the  crossing  at  Kelly's  Ford  be- 
cause 60  Confederate  sharpshooters  held  the  opposite  side.  Soon 
Fitzhugh  Lee  showed  up  with  about  800  cavalry  to  oppose  him  and  the 
battle  see-sawed  back  and  forth  in  the  fields  and  woods  along  Route  674 
for  hours.  (Union  cavalry  Capt.  Marcus  Reno  participated;  in  1876,  he 
fought  at  the  Battle  of  the  Little  Big  Horn  and  survived.)  Both  sides  charged 
the  other  with  gallantry  and  by  5:30  that  afternoon  Averell  finally  pulled 
his  exhausted  men  back  across  the  river,  leaving  the  dead  behind.  He  had 
proven  that  Union  troopers  could  fight  spur  to  spur  with  veteran  Confed- 
erate cavalry.  And  though  the  Confederates  held  the  field  that  day,  they 
did  lose  their  famous  artillery  chief  Major  John  Pelham,  who  had  joined  in 
one  of  the  charges.  (He  was  ironically  killed  by  an  artillery  shell.)  And 
Averell  did  not  forget  his  old  friend  when  he  left  this  note  behind:  "Dear 
Fitz,  Here's  your  coffee.  Here's  your  visit.  How  did  you  like  it?" 


Primitive  camping  is  allowed  at  C.F.  Phelps  WMA. 


MAY  2012    ♦ 


Resources 

♦  Dept.  of  Game  and  Inland  Fisheries, 
C.F.  Phelps  WMA: 
www.dgif.virginia.gov/wnnas 
Includes  detailed  information  on 
dates  open,  map,  directions. 

♦  Friends  of  C.  F.  Phelps  WMA 
5669  Sumerduck  Road 
Remington,  VA  22734 
Friendsofcfphelpswma@gmail.com 

♦  Culpeper:  A  Virginia  County's 
History  Througli  1920,  by  Eugene 
Scheel. 

♦  National  Park  Service, 
Fredericksburg  &  Spotsylvania 
Military  Park  Brochure 

♦  A  Driving  Tour  of  Civil  War  Culpeper, 
Culpeper  Department  of  Tourism 


Wade-fishing  is  popular  in  the  upper  Rappahannock  River,  but  safe  access  will  require 
a  bit  of  hiking. 


natural  areas  is  not  for  the  feint  of  heart.  But  if 
you  want  to  have  a  genuine  outdoor  experi- 
ence and  wake  up  in  your  element,  then  it's  a 
challenging  alternative  to  standard  camping 
sites  in  parks  and  private  campgrounds. 

Though  C.F.  Phelps  WMA  is  popular 
for  hunting,  there  is  also  access  to  fishing  the 
Rappahannock  from  the  property.  One  of 
those  areas  is  in  and  around  Kelly's  Ford, 
which  offers  a  boat  slide  for  canoe,  kayak,  or 
small  tin  boat.  You  can  also  wade-fish  here, 
but  the  steep  banks  can  be  tough  to  navigate. 
There  are  a  couple  of  easier  access  points  from 
the  main  section  of  the  WMA  along  the  east- 
ern side  of  the  river,  including  a  trail  that  runs 
adjacent  to  the  gas  line.  Accessing  most  of 
these  fishing  sites  will  involve  a  litde  hiking. 

Fishing  THE  Rapp 

The  Rappahannock  is  an  ancient  river  travers- 
ing hillsides,  farmland,  meadows,  and  his- 
toric sites.  Its  framework  is  made  up  of  stones 
and  bones.  In  other  words,  it  has  plenty  of 
rocks — which  makes  for  great  fish  habitat — 
and  lots  of  brush  and  deadfall  wood,  which 
also  creates  cover,  but  a  potential  obstacle 
course  for  anglers  working  its  waters. 

The  birthplace  of  the  Rappahannock 
River  is  Chester  Gap  in  the  Blue  Ridge 


The  Rappahannock  is  known  for  fine  smallmouth  bass  fishing,  but  occasionally  largemouths 
are  also  taken.  These  fell  for  large  surface  poppers  cast  with  a  flyrod. 


Mountains.  It  flows  for  approximately  184 
miles  down  to  its  terminus  at  the  Chesapeake 
Bay.  The  upper  end  of  the  river,  all  60  some 
odd  miles  of  it  to  Fredericksburg,  are  desig- 
nated State  Scenic  River,  and  deservedly  so. 
Anglers  fishing  the  upper  end  of  the  river 
have  a  shot  at  an  assortment  of  gamefish,  in- 
cluding redbreast  sunfish,  shad,  channel  cat- 
fish, and  its  famed  hard  pulling  smallmouth 


bass.  Besides  wade-fishing,  one  of  the  best 
ways  to  fish  the  river  is  either  by  canoe  or 
kayak.  The  25-mile  run  from  Kelly's  Ford 
down  to  Mott's  Landing  is  the  most  popular 
and  scenic,  but  involves  a  rwo-day  trip.  You 
can  also  access  the  Rappahannock  River  by 
dropping  in  a  boat  on  the  Rapidan  River, 
which  is  a  major  tributary,  at  the  bridge  along 
Route  522.  Possibly  the  most  sane  way  to  fish 


8 


VIRGINIA  WILDLIFE    ♦    www.HuntFishVA.com 


Be  a  Culture  Vulture 


There  are  people  out  there  who 
you  could  call  culture  vul- 
tures—those whose  passion  Is  history 
and  heritage.  Mix  this  with  a  dose  of 
hunting,  fishing,  and  camping  and 
you  have  the  makings  of  an  addiction. 
I  guess  I  am  one  of  those  addicted  cul- 
ture vultures  because  I  often  find  my- 
self seeking  a  human  cultural 
connection  to  the  landscape  or  water- 
scape I  am  fishing  or  hunting  in.  Those 
connections  could  be  native  Ameri- 
cans, colonial  settlements,  or  historic 
battle  sites.  For  me  this  cultural  pas- 
sion adds  depth  and  a  sense  of  place 
to  the  outdoor  experience.  And  I  also 
believe  it's  good  for  the  soul. 

There  are  many  great  fishing 
areas  in  Virginia  where  anglers  can 
not  only  immerse  themselves  in  great 
fishing,  but  also  in  state  history.  And 
there  is  no  better  time  than  now. 


since  Virginia  is  in  the  throes  of  ac- 
knowledging the  125""  anniversary  of 
the  Civil  War  To  celebrate  this  bench- 
mark in  Virginia,  a  state-of-the-art 
"history  mobile,"  (a  walk-through 
truck  trailer  exhibit)  is  traveling 
around  the  state  for  the  next  several 
years,  making  stops  at  state  parks,  his- 
toric sites,  and  museums. 

Some  of  those  public  areas  that 
offer  fishing  and  other  recreation  op- 
portunities among  Civil  War  historic 
sites  include  the  Rapidan  River,  Appo- 
mattox River,  North  Anna  River,  James 
River,  and  the  Staunton  River,  to  name 
just  a  handful.  And  of  course  down- 
stream from  Kelly's  Ford  on  the  Rap- 
pahannock is  famous  Fredericksburg, 
the  scene  of  a  huge,  bloody  winter 
battle  whence  the  river  once  again 
formed  the  dividing  line  between  the 
lines. 


A  traveling  exhibit  is  currently  making  its  way  around  the  state  in  recognition  of 
the  125th  anniversary  ofthe  Civil  War. 


the  Rappahannock  is  to  contact  area  canoe 
liveries  that  can  help  get  you  on  and  off  the 
water.  Local  tackle  shops  in  Fredericksburg 
will  have  information. 

Though  smallmouth  bass  are  the  most 
popular  target  species  on  the  Rappahannock 
today,  they  weren't  there  when  Union  cavalry 
crossed  the  river  that  morning  in  1863.  As  a 
matter  of  fact,  it  wasn't  until  the  beginning  of 


the  turn  of  the  century  that  smallmouths 
made  an  appearance  in  the  river  through 
stocking  efforts. 

"Native  fish  from  the  Civil  War  era  on 
the  Rappahannock  included  shad,  herring, 
fallfish,  iongnose  gar,  northern  hogsuckers, 
chubs,  bullhead  catfish,  and  striped  bass,  ex- 
plained DGIF  fisheries  biologist  John 
Odenkirk.  Not  a  glorious  line-up  except  for 


Biologists  studying  the  Rappahannock's 
fisheries  since  the  removal  ofthe  Embrey  Dam 
are  seeing  a  shift  in  populations,  including 
more  striped  bass  in  the  upper  river 


the  stripers.  "Since  the  Embrey  Dam  came 
down,  we  are  once  again  seeing  striped  bass, 
herring,  and  shad  in  the  upper  end  of  the 
Rappahannock  and  hopefiilly  their  numbers 
will  increase  as  time  goes  on,"  added 
Odenkirk. 

The  Rappahannock  is  a  pretty  river,  but 
may  not  win  any  beauty  pageants  with  its  fre- 
quent muddy  water,  eroded  banks,  and  crag- 
gy islands.  What  it  lacks  in  looks  it  certainly 
makes  up  for  in  angling  opportunities,  local 
history,  and  outdoor  recreation  along  its 
course.  For  those  of  us  who  love  the  marriage 
of  history  and  outdoor  recreation,  the  land 
and  waters  around  the  C.F.  Phelps  Wildlife 
Management  Area  beckon  you.  And  if  you 
are  fortunate  to  fish  the  river  on  a  cool,  fog- 
strewn  spring  morning,  listen  for  the  splash  of 
horses,  the  rattle  of  sabers,  and  the  bugle  call 
of  command  from  Virginia's  past.  It  may  take 
your  fishing  trip  into  another  dimension.  ?f 


Charlie  Petrocci  is  a  maritime  heritage  researcher, 
writer,  lecturer,  and  consultant  who  specializes  in 
coastal  traditions  such  as  fisheries,  seafood,  and 
community fi)lklife.  He  has  lived  on  the  Eastern 
Shore  for  the  past  25  years. 


MAY  2012    ♦ 


Bass  Fishing's  Next  Gc 


Youth  clubs  instill 

a  love  of  fishing... 

and  learning. 

by  David  Hart 

Zach  Francis  admits  he  was  pretty 
nervous  when  he  walked  across  the 
weigh-in  stage  at  the  National  Guard 
Junior  World  Championship  in  Arkansas 
last  year.  Who  could  blame  him?  Just  1 3  at 
the  time,  the  Abingdon  eighth-grader  was 
standing  in  front  of  hundreds  of  spectators 
when  fishing  icon,  television  host,  and  tour- 
nament emcee  Hank  Parker  stuck  a  micro- 
phone in  his  face  and  asked  him  about  his 
day  on  the  water.  Zach  handled  himself  well, 
offering  a  run-down  of  his  techniques  along 
with  his  overall  thoughts  of  the  two-day 
event. 


His  journey  to  that  stage  started  in  Vir- 
ginia. As  a  member  of  Southwest  Virginia 
Junior  Anglers,  Zach  fished  his  way  through  a 
series  of  youth  tournaments  over  the  course 
of  several  months  to  win  the  11  to  14  age 
group  in  the  Virginia  Bass  Federation's  junior 
championship.  His  win  earned  him  a  trip  to 
Arkansas  and  the  right  to  compete  against 
boys  and  girls  from  all  over  the  United  States. 
Nicholas  Bodsford,  of  Richmond,  also  won 
the  15  to  18  age  group  and  advanced  to  the 
national  championship  last  year,  as  well. 

Zach's  club  is  one  of  seven  in  the  state 
that  are  under  the  umbrella  of  the  700-mem- 
ber  Virginia  Bass  Federation  (VBF).  All  of  the 
youth  clubs  are  sponsored  by  an  adult  VBF 
club,  which  mentors  the  boys  and  girls  who 
participate.  In  some  cases,  the  adults  serve  as 
boat  captains  who  shuttle  the  young  anglers 
across  the  water  during  various  fishing  events. 
Sometimes,  the  adult  clubs  simply  act  as 
mentors,  offering  advice  on  how  to  be  better 
anglers  for  all  species  offish. 


Just  For  Kids 

The  VBF's  youth  program  isn't  just  designed 
to  groom  the  next  generation  of  bass  tourna- 
ment anglers.  Tournaments  are  part  of  each 
club's  regular  activities,  but  the  youth  pro- 
gram is  much  more  than  that,  says  Zach's  dad, 
Andy  Francis,  who  also  serves  as  the  club's 
adult  advisor.  Along  with  scheduled  tourna- 
ments in  which  the  kids  fish  against  each 
other  or  against  other  clubs  around  the  state, 
the  young  anglers  get  together  for  regular 
meetings  to  discuss  their  favorite  subject. 
They  also  participate  in  conservation  projects 
and  sometimes  they  just  go  fishing. 

"We've  planted  brush  piles  in  local  lakes 
and  we  are  working  on  organizing  a  litter 
pick-up  at  one  of  the  ramps  on  South  Hol- 
ston  Reservoir,"  says  Andy.  "The  club  is  fo- 
cused on  fishing,  but  it's  certainly  much  more 
than  that.  When  we  moved  to  Abingdon 
from  South  Boston,  Zach  made  some  new 
friends  pretty  quick  when  he  joined  this 
club." 


10 


VIRGINIA  WILDLIFE    ♦    wvw.HuntFishVA.com 


The  junior  angler  program  does  require  a 
sponsorship  by  an  adult  VBF  club  member, 
somediing  that  can  be  difficult  to  find  these 
days. 

"A  lot  of  the  Virginia  Bass  Federation 
adult  members  just  don't  have  the  necessary 
time  that  sponsoring  a  youth  club  demands, " 
says  The  Bass  Federation  (TBF)  National 
Youth  Director  Mark  Gintert.  "It's  certainly 
not  unique  to  Virginia,  either.  We  have  hun- 
dreds of  youth  clubs  throughout  the  country, 
but  we  could  certainly  have  a  lot  more  if  the 
adult  clubs  could  find  the  time  to  mentor  a 
youth  club.  It's  difficult  in  today's  world." 

Coming  To  A  School  Near  You? 

That's  one  reason  the  TBF  started  the  Student 
Angler  Federation  last  year.  Unlike  the  junior 
angler  program,  SAF  clubs  do  not  require  an 
adult  club  sponsor.  Instead,  they  are  school- 
based  clubs  that  are  no  different  than  any 
other  school-sanctioned  organization  that 
meets  on  a  regular  basis  on  school  grounds. 
They  only  need  the  blessing  of  administrators      \ 
along  with  an  in-school  sponsor,  usually  a   i 
teacher  or  administrator  who  understands  the    | 
thrill  fishing  brings  to  kids.  The  SAF  provides   @ 


eration 


Left,  Abingdon  eighth-grader  Zack  Francis  earned 
a  trip  to  the  National  Guard  Junior  World  Champion- 
ship last  year.  He  competed  against  young  anglers 
across  the  country  and  met  his  hero,  Frank  Parker 
Kids  in  youth  fishing  clubs  learn  teamwork  and 
respect  while  becoming  better  anglers. 


guidelines  for  organizing  a  club  along  with 
support  in  the  form  of  educational  materials 
and  fundraising  assistance,  says  Gintert. 

"We  also  provide  insurance  and  assis- 
tance in  planning  club  events,"  he  adds. 
"Mosdy,  though,  the  kids  themselves  run  the 
clubs.  They  make  all  the  decisions  and  deter- 
mine the  activides  with  the  help  of  their  adult 
advisor." 

So  far,  t\\'o  SAF  clubs  have  formed  in 
Virginia  (one  is  Orange  County  High 
School),  but  Gintert,  who  oversees  the  na- 
tional SAF  program,  says  he's  received  numer- 
ous requests  for  information  and  expects  the 
program  to  grow  substantially  throughout  the 
state.  It  certainly  has  in  other  states.  Last  year 
alone,  300  school  clubs  formed,  including  at 
least  35  in  Arkansas  and  nearly  as  many  in 
Kentucky,  and  Gintert  expects  that  many  or 
more  will  come  on  board  in  the  coming  years. 

"I'm  hoping  we  will  see  school-to-school 
rivalries  just  like  we  see  with  high  school  foot- 
ball or  soft:ball  programs,"  adds  Gintert.  "That 


t 


MAY  2012    ♦       11 


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Nicholas  Bodsford  of  Richmond  with  Frank 
Parker  at  the  National  Guard  Jr.  World 
Championship. 

happened  with  two  SAF  clubs  in  Florida  last 
year  and  all  the  kids,  along  with  school  offi- 
cials, absolutely  loved  it." 

That  hasn't  happened  in  Virginia  yet, 
but  if  Command  Sergeant  Major  Michael 
"Doc"  McGhee  has  any  say,  it  will.  McGhee, 
who  works  at  Fort  Pickett,  serves  as  the  advi- 
sor to  Virginias  other  SAF  club  at  Kenston 
Forest  School  in  Blackstone.  He  hopes  stu- 
dents in  other  schools  throughout  Virginia 
will  form  clubs  so  he  and  his  Kenston  Forest 
students  can  fish  against  them  in  a  tourna- 
ment format. 

The  Great  Equalizer 

Those  tournaments  aren't  the  focus  of  the 
Student  Angler  Federation,  although  they  are 
an  important  part  to  many  student  partici- 
pants. McGhee  says  students  only  need  one 
common  interest:  fishing.  But  just  as  schools 
hold  students  to  minimum  grade-point  aver- 
ages, good  attendance,  and  other  require- 
ments for  other  sports,  McGhee  says  Kenston 
Forest  students  must  meet  similar  require- 
ments just  to  be  in  the  club. 

"They  serve  as  a  great  incentive  for  doing 
well  in  class,"  he  notes.  "That's  one  of  the  best 
things  about  this  program.  A  student  doesn't 
have  to  be  a  great  athlete  or  a  math  whiz  to 
enjoy  fishing.  Everyone  can  do  it,  as  long  as 
they  meet  the  grade  and  attendance  require- 
ments." 

Gintert  says  a  survey  of  SAF  club  mem- 
bers in  Illinois  found  that  60  percent  of  the 
students  did  not  participate  in  any  other 
sports. 


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Emma  Wright  of  the  Kenston  Forest  Student 
Angler  Federation  Club  is  all  smiles  after  a 
good  fishing  day. 

"That  tells  me  that  a  lot  of  kids  need  an- 
other outlet  that  gets  them  off  the  couch  and 
outside.  That's  the  ultimate  goal  of  this  organ- 
ization. Fishing  is  a  great  equalizer,"  says  Gin- 
tert. "You  don't  have  to  be  six-two  and  200 
pounds  to  go  fishing.  In  fact,  we  have  a  lot  of 
girls  who  participate." 

McGhee's  club  is  tremendously  popular, 
with  about  10  percent  of  the  350-student 
body  participating,  including  many  athletes 
and  girls.  He  admits  he  was  somewhat  sur- 
prised by  that,  but  in  hindsight,  why  should 
he  be? 

"A  lot  of  our  kids  come  from  rural  set- 
tings, so  fishing  is  part  of  their  lives,  whether 
they  play  football  or  not.  I  really  shouldn't  be 
surprised  that  the  club  is  so  popular  among 
kids  from  all  walks  of  life,"  he  says. 

Only  a  handful  of  the  club's  members 
participate  in  tournaments,  but  everyone 
who  joins  does  so  because  they  love  to  fish.  Or 
they  want  to  learn,  which  is  exactly  what 
McGhee  and  Gintert  want  to  see.  As  partici- 
pation rates  drop  among  all  anglers,  our  natu- 
ral resources  are  losing  the  strongest  advocates 
they  have.  As  a  group,  anglers  stand  up  for  the 
things  they  love. 

Future  Advocates 

The  Kenston  Forest  club  fishes  nearly  every 
Monday  afi:er  school  on  an  eight-acre  pond 
located  on  the  school's  campus,  but  they  also 
hold  indoor  meetings  to  discuss  fishing,  fish 
biology,  and  natural  resource  conservation  is- 
sues. That's  exactly  why  these  and  other  fish- 
ing-specific clubs  are  so  important.  Angler 


numbers  are  gradually  declining  in  Virginia 
and  throughout  the  country.  And  with  that 
decline  comes  the  loss  of  advocates  for  fish 
habitat  and  other  aquatic  resources. 

"The  more  kids  we  can  get  interested  in 
fishing,  the  more  voices  we  will  have  in  the  fu- 
ture for  conservation,  even  if  they  don't  fish 
later  in  life,"  says  McGhee. 

But  don't  tell  that  to  Zach  Francis,  at  least 
not  yet.  He  probably  doesn't  know  how  im- 
portant he  is  to  the  future  of  fishing.  Most 
kids  his  age  just  want  to  have  fun,  and  a  day  on 
the  water  offers  a  respite  from  the  daily  grind 
of  school,  chores,  and  other  mundane  activi- 
ties. But  some  day,  he  and  the  other  members 
of  Southwest  Virginia  Junior  Anglers,  along 
with  young  men  and  women  who  belong  to 
the  Student  Angler  Federation,  will  be  leaders 
in  conservation  efforts  all  over  the  state. 

Right  now,  however,  Zach  is  thinking 
about  the  road  to  the  next  Junior  World 
Championship.  He  loves  all  kinds  of  fishing, 
but  he  also  enjoys  the  camaraderie  that  sur- 
rounds tournament  fishing  and  the  competi- 
tion that  goes  along  with  it.  Not  only  did  he 
get  to  spend  two  days  on  DeGray  Lake  in 
Arkansas,  he  got  to  mingle  with  some  of  the 
country's  top  professional  anglers  who  were 
on  hand  to  assist  in  the  tournament.  He  also 
earned  a  $500  scholarship  for  placing  fifth 
overall  in  the  II  to  14  age  group. 

Zach  doesn't  fish  for  money,  though. 
There  is  no  money  awarded  in  youth  tourna- 
ments in  Virginia.  He  does  it  because  he  has  a 
competitive  streak  in  him  and,  he  admits,  he 
likes  to  win.  Most  of  all,  though,  belonging  to 
a  fishing  club  gives  Zach  more  opportunities 
to  do  the  things  he  loves:  fishing  and  hanging 
out  with  other  boys  and  girls  who  share  his 
passion.    ?f 

David  Hart  is  a  full-time  freelance  writer  and 
photographer  from  Rice.  He  is  a  regular  contributor 
to  numerous  national  hunting  and  fishing 
magazines. 


FOR  MORE  INFORMATION 

♦  Virginia  Bass  Federation, 
Junior  Angler  Program 
Youth  Director  Jerry  Wright, 
(434)  594-6436 
www.virginiatbfyouth.com 

♦  Student  Angler  Federation, 
www.highschoolfishing.org 
Or  call  The  Bass  Federation 
headquarters,  (580)  765-9031 


12        VIRGINIA  WILDLIFE    ♦    www.HunfFishVA.com 


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Jim  Kelly  likes  to  hike.  Elliot  Knob, 
Yosemite  Valleys  Panorama  Trail,  the 
Wicklow  Way  in  Ireland;  like  pebbles  in 
a  boot,  each  demands  his  attention.  A 
hiker  in  a  family  of  hikers,  it's  what's  be- 
yond the  tree  line,  what's  at  the  top,  what's  down 
the  next  trail  that  shadows  his  periphery,  that 
plucks  at  his  senses.  When  family  and  friends  get 
together  it  always  comes  around  to  the  moun- 
tains, who's  been  where,  what  happened.  But 
tellers  beware:  Old  stories  never  die.  They  hang 
around  to  haunt  you,  fair  or  not.  Friends  say  Jim 
Kelly  has  the  look,  as  well  as  the  luck,  of  the  Irish, 
with  that  red  hair,  that  smile,  that  Irish  wit.  It's  a 
lucky  man,  all  agree,  who  can  go  off  into  the 
mountains  and  return  without  a  scratch. 

"Luck, "  Kelly  maintains,  "has  nothing  to  do 
with  it.  Just  follow  well-marked  trails  and  plan 
and  pack  for  emergencies."  Still,  mistakes  are 


story  &  photos  by  Gail  Brown 


made.  A  lifetime  of  hiking  is  a  long  time  to  go 
unscathed,  the  law  of  averages  being  what  it  is. 
But  be  it  math  or  magic,  it  all  caught  up  with 
Kelly  one  sparkling  fall  afternoon  when  he  and 
son  Jake  were  hiking  Maine's  Penobscot  Moun- 
tain. And  hindsight  being  what  it  is,  it  took  no 
time  at  all  to  reconstruct  the  trail  of  events  that 
caught  up  with  him  that  day.  By  then,  of  course, 
it  was  too  late. 

Kelly  is  right  about  planning  and  supplies. 
"Planning  and  preparation  make  the  difference 
when  out  hiking  for  days  or  even  a  few  hours," 
says  William  (Billy)  Chrimes,  search  and  rescue 
training  specialist  for  the  Virginia  Department 
of  Emergency  Management.  "Of  the  100-1 10 
or  so  Search  and  Rescue  (SAR)  operations  per- 
formed at  the  state  level,  about  ten  percent  in- 
volve hikers.  Of  that  ten  percent,  most  are 
day-hikers  that  made  a  spontaneous  decision  to 


MAY  2012    ♦      13 


'just  go  for  a  hike'  and  probably  did  not  plan. 
They  may  not  have  known  the  area.  People  can 
wander  off  a  marked  trail  onto  a  trail  that  looks 
equally  worn,  thinking  it's  a  shortcut  when  it's 
just  an  unmarked  path.  They  get  lost." 

Karen  Beck-Herzog,  experienced  hiker 
and  Shenandoah  National  Park  public  affairs 
officer,  agrees:  "Day-hikers  may  not  have  all  the 
information  needed  about  the  trails...  You 
need  a  map  and  should  also  consult  a  trail 
guide...  Trail  guides  offer  descriptions  and 
helpful  information  you  won't  find  on  a  map. " 
In  20 1 1 ,  68  percent  of  the  SAR  incidents  in  the 
park  involved  day-hikers. 

Beck-Herzog  also  believes  good  planning 
includes  what  you  leave  behind.  "Most  impor- 
tantly, leave  an  itinerary  and  stick  to  it.  Then,  if 
something  happens,  people  will  know  where  to 
look.  Do  not  continue  to  move.  Searchers  will 
start  at  the  Point  Last  Seen  (PLS).  By  not  mov- 
ing, you  can  keep  the  search  area  minimal." 

But  Kelly's  mistake  wasn't  one  of  inexperi- 
ence or  lack  of  preparation.  His  wife,  Maureen, 
knew  what  time  he  and  Jake  left  and  where  they 
were  hiking.  Kelly  did  his  homework,  as  usual, 
which  included  consulting  guide  books  and 
printing  off  maps  from  sites  such  as 
www.hikingupward.com.  Kelly  had  hiked  this 
trail  in  the  past  and  knew  the  entire  trip  was  5.6 
miles.  It  was  not  a  difficult  hike,  more  like  a 
long  walk,  but  on  this  day  it  was  spontaneous. 
He  and  Jake  expected  it  to  take  approximately 
four  hours.  Off  they  went. 

Karen  Holson,  the  Department's  outdoor 
education  supervisor,  has  a  simple 
list  to  keep  hikers  safe  even  if 
out  for  just  a  few  hours. 


Holson's  list  includes:  one  large,  clear  trash 
bag,  a  piece  of  aluminum  foil,  a  fire-starting 
tool,  a  whistle,  water,  and  high  energy  bars. 
"My  main  requirement  before  it  goes  in  my 
pack,"  states  Holson,  "is  that  it  be  lightweight 
and  multifunctional.  If  the  trash  bag  is  clear,  it 
can  be  placed  over  a  green  plant  during  day- 
light hours.  When  condensation  occurs, 
water  can  be  collected.  A  trash  bag  can  serve  as 
a  ground  cover,  a  sleeping  bag,  or  a  raincoat. 
To  start  a  fire  I  carry  a  magnesium  fire  starter 
and  a  piece  of  metal.  Fire  offers  warmth  and 
can  serve  as  a  signal.  The  piece  of  foil  can  be  a 
cup  or  a  reflector  (signal).  People  might  think 
they  don't  need  a  whistle,  but  you'll  be  able  to 
blow  the  whistle  longer  and  louder  than  you 
can  shout."  Holson  always  has  first-aid  sup- 
plies on  hand. 

Kelly  has  all  that  and  more.  "My  pack 
typically  weighs  about  15-20  lbs.,  but  I  don't 
mind  the  extra  weight.  I  have  extra  clothing 
and  a  small  first-aid  kit  attached  to  my  cam- 
era, as  well  as  a  fiill  one  in  my  pack.  My  father 
started  me  hiking  when  I  was  a  very  young 
child.  He  taught  me  to  be  prepared.  This  was 
the  first,  and  last,  time  I  took  a  chance." 

If  what  you  carry  with  you  is  important, 
what  you  wear  is  equally  important,  according 
to  Holson.  "Your  feet  are  your  transportation. 
Some  people  think  they  can  double  up  on 
socks  to  stay  warm.  What  happens  is  their  feet 
become  cramped,  their  circulation  is  cut  off, 
and  then  their  feet  become  cold.  Insulated 
boots  are  a  must  for  colder  weather.  Holson 
also  recommends  ffiree  layers  of  quality  cloth- 
ing: a  base  layer  (wicking  in  the  summer,  ther- 
mal in  cooler  weather);  a  middle  layer  of  wool 


Karen  Holson  likes  to  keep  it  simple.  Things 
that  make  it  into  her  pack  are  lightweight  and 
multifunctional. 


or  wool  blends  in  cooler  weather;  and  an  outer 
layer  of  waterproof  material  such  as  Gore-Tex  or 
a  windbreaker." 

Roy  Hutchinson,  co-founder  of  Wilder- 
ness Discovery  and  volunteer  instructor  for  the 
Department,  believes  people  might  be  tempted 
to  cut  corners,  thinking  the  cost  of  supplies 
might  be  prohibitive.  "Sometimes  people  say 
they  can't  afford  what  it  takes  to  ouffit  a  pack. 
You  have  to  ask  yourself:  'What's  your  life 
worth?  Is  it  worth  $40?'  You  can  get  all  you  need 
to  stay  safe  at  a  discount  store  for  about  $40. 
And  your  pack  won't  weigh  more  than  5  lbs." 


SAR  teams  look  for  possible  decision  points  such  as  creek  or  trail  crossings. 
Pictured  here,  K9  Alert  member  David  Fleenor  and  Ryka. 


Park  ranger  Caroline  Garmon  (Pocahontas  State  Park)  advises  visitors 
to  "take  a  minute  to  obtain  information  about  your  hike." 


14 


VIRGINIA  WILDLIFE    ♦    www.HuntFishVA.com 


For  a  day  hike,  everything  you  need  can  fit  into  a  pack  weighing  about  5  lbs.  New  signs  at  Pocahontas  SP 
(right)  detail  trail  use  and  difficulty.  Black  diamond  indicates  most  difficult  level;  blue  square  is  moderate. 


If  not  the  weather,  access  to  supplies,  or 
knowledge  of  what  to  bring  caused  Kelly's  prob- 
lem, then  what?  "I  think  experienced  hikers  can 
become  over-confident.  That  was  my  mistake;  I 
was  over-confident.  I  had  never  had  a  problem, 
so  I  took  a  chance.  It  seemed  like  such  a  short 
hike,  I  just  left  my  pack  in  the  cabin.  All  I  took 
was  two  botdes  of  water." 

While  Kelly  was  over-confident,  his  situa- 
tion was  compounded  by  signage  open  to  mis- 
interpretation. "The  signpost  at  the  summit  of 
Penobscot  Mountain  said:  Jordan  Pond  Cliffs 
Trail  -1.5  miles.  The  sign  pointed  to  a  trail.  The 
trail  looked  equally  gradual  and  was  also 
marked.  The  trail  we  just  came  off  was  2.8 
miles."  Both  he  and  his  son  saw  an  opportunity 
to  shorten  their  return  hike  by  over  1  mile.  "But 
Jordan  Pond  Cliffs  Trail  didn't  start  at  the  sum- 
mit of  Penobscot  as  we  thought.  And  it  wasn't 
1 .5  miles  long.  It  started  1 .5  miles  further  on." 

"In  Search  and  Rescue  situations  we  call 
that  a  'decision  point,  "  explains  David  Fleenor, 
president  of  K-9  Alert  Search  and  Rescue,  Inc. 
"A  decision  was  made  that  took  the  person  into 
an  unexpected  situation.  Depending  on  the  'lost 
person  behavior'  profile,  we  will  use  these  deci- 
sion points  as  targets  for  'hasty'  or  area  searches." 

"When  I  had  the  accident  we  had  done 
about  1  mile  of  the  actual  cliff  trail,"  says  Kelly, 
"and  we  had  about  another  2.5  miles  to  go  to  get 
down  to  the  road  that  we  hoped  to  reach  faster 
It  was  a  much  more  difficult  trail.  At  times  we 
were  hugging  the  cliff.  Then  we  came  to  a  slab  of 


stone  which  blocked  the  trail;  it  must  have  been 
8  feet  straight  up.  Jake  went  over  the  top.  I  put 
my  left  foot  in  a  crack  to  boost  myself  up,  but 
slipped.  I  kept  sliding... farther  and  farther 
down  the  embankment. . .  until  I  slammed  into  a 
small  cedar.  It  held.  That  saved  me,  but  I  was  re- 
ally banged  up.  I  got  a  deep  gash  in  my  knee. 
With  Jake's  help  I  got  myself  over  the  rock.  We 
had  over  2  miles  of  rugged  terrain  to  go  and  I  was 
bleeding  a  lot.  I  had  no  way  to  help  myself  " 

As  Kelly  rested  on  a  rock,  dismay  deepen- 
ing, three  hikers  they'd  just  passed  came  rushing 
back  toward  them;  like  Jake,  they'd  heard  the  se- 
ries of  expletives  he'd  let  loose  when  he  started  to 
slide.  As  luck  would  have  it,  these  weren't  ordi- 
nary hikers.  These  hikers  were  nurses!  All  three! 
Nurses  with  bright  blue  vet  wrap!  Nurses  with 
skills!  Nurses  who  would  bandage  him  up  so  he 
could  make  it  back  down  the  mountain. 

It  was  a  long,  painful,  two  miles  back  to  the 
restaurant  and  a  longer  night  still  at  the  hospital. 
"The  wound  was  deep  and  jagged  and  required 
at  least  a  dozen  stitches,"  says  wife  Maureen. 
"That's  the  one  hike  he'd  like  to  forget.  But  things 
could  have  been  so  much  worse. " 

Forget?  Not  likely.  When  family  and  friends 
gather — stories,  camaraderie,  a  Guinness  or 
two — Kelly  never  brings  it  up.  His  friends  do.  It 
seems  there's  consensus:  "Ah,  that  Jim  Kelly," 
they  say,  "Sure,  it's  a  lucky  man,  that  Jim  Kelly 
is."    ?f 

Gail  Brown  is  a  retired  teacher  and  school  administrator. 


^ 

H 

paral 


CCC  Museum  I 


2.06  mi. 


!>l! 


by  Randall  Shank 


The 
Mottaponi 

and 
Pamunkey 

Rivers 

Associotion 

is  still  going  strong 

after  20  years 

of  service. 


I  wait  in  a  duck  blind  on  a  cold,  misty 
January  dawn  on  die  Pamunkey  River 
marsh  known  as  "the  pocket."  The 
wind  rushes  by  like  the  giant  swish  of  a  broom 
moving  across  the  brown  grasses  as  a  flock  of 
mallards  fly  upriver.  The  chirp  of  a  chickadee 
catches  my  attention  when  it  hops  from  one 
branch  to  another  looking  for  shadbush 
catkins.  A  turkey  yelps  from  its  roost  on  the 
hill  across  the  creek.  In  the  woods  behind  me, 
an  owl  calls  into  the  morning  as  if  to  an- 
nounce that  the  night  is  over. 

The  morning  symphony  continues  with 
three  bald  eagles  entering  the  chorus,  "Kee, 
kee,  kee."  Hundreds  of  pintails  glide  in  the  air 
from  one  side  of  the  marsh  to  the  other, 
flushed  from  their  roost  by  the  eagles.  The  sun 
peers  over  the  horizon  and  more  than  a  thou- 
sand Canada  geese  erupt  from  the  water  and 
fly  to  the  cornfields  to  feed.  The  noise  of  the 
geese  is  so  deafening  that  nothing  else  can  be 
heard.  When  they  are  gone,  a  lone  beaver 


comes  down  the  creek,  sees  me,  and  slaps  its  tail 
against  the  water — putting  an  end  to  the 
morning  concert  with  a  loud  exclamation 
point. 

With  spring,  the  rivers  change.  Winter 
waterfowl  have  returned  north  and  new  visitors 
arrive.  Old-timers  say  that  when  the  shadbush 
is  in  bloom  and  redbud  is  in  fioll  color,  the  Pa- 
munkey and  her  sister  river,  the  Mattaponi,  fill 
with  migrating  striped  bass,  shad,  and  herring. 

The  Pamunkey  and  Mattaponi  Indians 
have  always  known  this  and  they  support  the 
shad  fishery  with  hatcheries  on  both  reserva- 
tions. Likewise,  the  Department  of  Game  and 
Inland  Fisheries  (DGIF)  and  U.S.  Fish  and 
Wildife  hatcheries  have  over  the  years  stocked 
millions  of  American  shad  fiy  to  the  Pamunkey 
River. 

In  summer,  water  lovers  from  urban  Rich- 
mond come  to  paddle,  fish,  water-ski,  swim,  or 
just  hang  out.  The  water  in  the  Mattaponi 
River  is  so  clean  that  more  than  one  locality  has 


T- 


W^ 


^->  J:i 


had  their  eye  on  it  for  a  drinking  water  source. 
DGIF  recognized  the  importance  of  the  river 
when  they  recently  purchased  over  2,500 
acres  on  the  upper  Mattaponi  in  Caroline 
County  for  the  newly  created  Mattaponi 
Wildlife  Management  Area.  Here,  the  river  is 
so  protected  with  forested  lands  that  when  it 
rains,  vegetation  catches  the  runoff  and  the 
river  remains  mosdy  clear. 

The  Mattaponi  and  Pamunkey,  in  fact, 
are  two  of  the  cleanest  tidal  rivers  on  the  East 
Coast.  A  local  river  conservation  organization 
would  like  to  keep  it  that  way. 

A  Little  History 

In  1991 ,  a  small  group  of  people  gathered  at 
the  invitation  of  Jerry  Walker  and  the  late 
Billy  Mills  in  the  village  of  Walkerton  on  the 
Mattaponi.  Development  pressures  were 
mounting  in  the  watershed,  and  the  group 
knew  the  rivers  needed  a  voice.  They  formed 
the  Mattaponi  and  Pamunkey  Rivers  Associa- 
tion (MPRA). 


Grain  farms  along  the  rivers  are  important  habitat  for  migrating  Canada  geese  and  offer  many 
hunting  opportunities.  Duck  blinds  and  stands  of  wild  rice  are  common  sights  on  a  river  paddle, 
photo  ©Randall  Shank 


i 


This  June,  MPRA  celebrates  its  twenty- 
first  anniversary  as  a  river  protection  group 
that  has  become  a  leading,  local  advocate  for 
its  namesake  rivers.  MPRA  is  an  all-volunteer 
organization  that  focuses  on  education,  recre- 
ation, habitat  protection,  and  advocacy  to 
raise  the  public's  awareness  of  the  importance 
and  value  of  the  rivers.  At  its  annual  meeting 
in  January,  over  70  people  gathered  to  social- 
ize, share  dinner,  and  support  river  projects. 
The  rivers  remain  the  common  bond  be- 
tween teachers,  students,  retirees,  farmers, 
hunters,  fishermen,  kayakers,  riparian  land- 
owners, and  others  who  were  there. 

When  we  walked  through  the  door,  I 
had  just  come  from  a  Mattaponi  goose  hunt. 
People  were  sharing  pictures  of  recently 
caught  bass,  catfish,  and  rockfish.  Stories 
about  duck  hunting  and  the  last  river  sojourn 
were  circulated.  One  of  the  kids  came  up  to 
me  and  gushed,  "Guess  what  I  got  for  Christ- 
mas! A  kayak!"  There  was  a  shared  passion,  a 
sense  of  place,  a  feeling  of  belonging  in  that 
room.  A  good  friend  who  recently  moved 
closer  to  town  and  away  from  her  riverfront 
home  told  me  that  night,  "I  really  miss  the 
Canada  geese.  I  can't  hear  the  geese." 

And  that  is  what  MPRA  is  all  about.  It's 
about  loving  something  bigger  than  yourself 
and  doing  something  for  it  because  you  care 
about  it.  If  you  love  something,  you  are  going 
to  protect  it. 


River  Camp  is  an  opportunity  for  i<ids  of  all  ages  to  get  in  the  outdoor  classroom  on  the  river. 


Knee-deep  Education 

MPRA  believes  that  catching  a  fish,  gazing  at 
a  huge  bald  eagle  nest,  or  standing  knee-deep 
in  wetland  mud  connects  the  person  with  the 
resource.  And  so,  each  autumn  MPRA  brings 
environmental  science  and  watershed  educa- 
tion to  area  sixth  graders  during  "River  Day" 
at  Sandy  Point  State  Forest  on  the  Mattaponi. 
In  one  of  the  classes,  local  historical  inter- 
preter Willie  Balderson  transforms  into  a 
member  of  Captain  John  Smith's  crew 


camped  on  the  river  shore.  Describing  the 
students'  reactions  to  his  role,  Balderson  says, 
"While  in  the  natural  world,  students  reach  a 
state  of  suspended  disbelief  which  takes  them 
back  in  time  to  the  way  it  once  was."  In  many 
ways,  the  Mattaponi  and  the  Pamunkey  are 
the  way  they  once  were. 

Because  today's  kids  appear  glued  to 
computers  and  smart  phones,  a  day  away 
from  the  noises  and  distractions  of  the  mod- 
ern world  becomes  ever  more  important.  At 
River  Day,  a  middle  school  student  spent  part 


DGIF  stocking  truck,  King  &  Queen  hatchery, 
makes  an  educational  visit  to  River  Day. 


River  Camp  participants  and  volunteers. 


18        VIRGINIA  WILDLIFE    ♦    www.HuntFishVA.conn 


An  MPRA-led  river  sojourn  is  a  great  way  to  learn  more  about  the  rivers  and  meet  people  who  care  about  them. 


Photo  courtesy  of  Chris  Henicheck 


of  the  time  in  the  shallow  waters  catching 
hogchokers  and  minnows  in  a  seine  net.  He 
exclaimed,  "This  is  the  best  field  trip  ever!  We 
actually  spent  the  day  in  the  field!" 

Another  student  carried  a  squirrel  skull 
that  he  found  underneath  a  bald  eagle  nest. 
He  was  going  to  take  it  home  to  show  his 
family.  A  young  girl  yelled,  "I  caught  a  fish!" 
It  was  her  first  one  ever. 

Setting  a  Stewardship  Example 

Volunteers  support  wildlife  conservation  by 
helping  with  the  annual  Audubon  bird 
count  at  several  river  locations.  Boy  Scouts 
and  school  groups  build  and  install  wood 
duck  and  prothonotary  warbler  nesting 
boxes  on  lands  held  by  cooperating  riparian 
landowners. 

"We  have  put  up  more  than  one  hun- 
dred bird  nesting  boxes  in  wetland  areas  on 
the  two  rivers  since  the  program  started,"  vol- 
unteer Brad  Davis  reported. 


With  a  twenty-year  history  of  commu- 
nity mobilization  for  "River  Stewardship 
Day,"  the  group's  signature  event,  hundreds 
of  MPRA  volunteers  gather  annually  to  walk 
the  shorelines  or  travel  by  boat  to  pick  up 
trash.  Kitty  Cox,  coordinator  for  the  event, 
estimates  that  more  than  2,000  volunteers 
have  participated  over  the  years. 

"This  project  has  been  so  effective,  it's 
now  difficult  to  find  trash  or  dump  sites  on 
the  rivers.  Crews  really  have  to  work  at  it. "  On 
average  each  year,  more  than  30  local  busi- 
nesses help  sponsor  and  support  the  clean-up. 

Defending  a  river  means  taking  a  stand 
when  resources  are  being  threatened.  MPRA 
volunteers  have  appeared  at  numerous  public 
hearings  when  adverse  impacts  on  either  river 
appear  imminent.  The  group  is  currently  ex- 
ploring ways  to  gain  a  nomination  for  scenic 
rivers  designation  on  the  Mattaponi  between 
Walkerton  and  the  Mattaponi  Indian  Reser- 


♦  ♦  ♦ 


Virginia's  population  wiO  grow.  Fish  and 
game  habitat  will  shrink.  Other  challenges 
will  come  along. 

Who  speaks  for  the  rivers  when  man  de- 
bates their  value?  For  the  past  20  years, 
MPRA  has  been  a  strong  voice  in  the  York 
River  watershed.  Today's  young  people  will 
be  the  voice  of  tomorrow  for  the  rivers.  The 
Mattaponi  and  Pamunkey  Rivers  Associa- 
tion is  working  to  make  that  happen.    ?f 

Randall  Shank  is  a  freelance  writer  who  lives  on  the 
Mattaponi  River  in  King  &  Queen  County. 


FOR  MORE  INFORMATION 

Mattaponi  and  Pamunkey  Rivers 
Association  www.mpra.org 

Scenic  Rivers  Program, 

Va.  Dept.  of  Conservation  &  Recreation 

www.dcr.virginia.gov/recreational_ 

planning/srmain.shtml 


MAY  2012    ♦       19 


How  Farmland 
Preservation  Can  Help 
^ildlife  Thrive 


Virginias  pastoral  landscape  and 
farming  heritage  has  been  cele- 
brated for  over  four  hundred 
years,  but  the  eventual  triumph  of  agriculture  in 
the  New  World  was  not  always  a  sure  thing. 


byWilliamH.Funk 


The  corporate-financed  entrepreneurs, 
roustabouts,  and  gendemen  of  leisure  who  in 
May  of  1606  waded  ashore  on  what  would 
become  Jamestown  were  hardly  versed  in  the 
intricacies  of  coaxing  a  living  fi'om  the  soil. 


20        VIRGINIA  WILDLIFE    ♦    www.HuntFishVA.com 


■*    f-'i.;' 


had  thoroughly  settled  much  of  the  sur- 
rounding region's  higher  ground  with  small 
farm  plots. 

As  bearers  of  exotic  metal  tools,  glass- 
ware, and  fabrics,  the  Europeans  were  wel- 
comed by  the  Powhatan  with  prolific  feasts 
and  entertainments;  their  wily  leader, 
Wahunsenacawh,  had  plans  to  utilize  the 
foreigners'  superior  technologies  in  his  ongo- 
ing power  struggles  against  neighboring  Al- 
gonquin tribes.  Baskets  of  precious  maize, 
freely  given  to  the  colonists,  were  heaped  up 
in  makeshift  granaries;  fresh  meat  and  fish 
were  abundantly  shared;  and  overcrowded 
England  seemed  comfortably  far  away. 

All  looked  promising  to  the  settlers  as 
the  planting  season  gave  way  to  late  summer, 
but  the  thought  apparendy  never  occurred  to 
these  foolhardy  urbanites  that  the  free  food 
they  enjoyed — the  result  of  others'  hard 
work  in  field  and  forest — ^was  not  a  perma- 
nent tribute  but  rather  a  calculated,  short- 
term  diplomatic  offering.  When  stores 
began  to  run  low,  the  English  simply  took 
what  they  desired  from  surrounding 
Powhatan  villages  and  farms,  leading  in  due 
time  to  violent  resistance  and  a  brief  war  that 
was  to  end  only  with  the  capture  in 
1613  of  Powhatan's  daughter, 
the  celebrated  peacemaker 


and  particularly  not  the  pestilential  swamp- 
lands of  the  lower  James  River.  The  island 
chosen  as  a  defensible  setdement  had  marshy 
soils  and  brackish  water  and,  tellingly,  was  un- 
inhabited by  the  local  Powhatan  peoples,  who 


The  days  turned  colder  and  the  bleak  re- 
ality of  their  situation  became  apparent  to 
even  the  most  fervent  among  them.  Malnu- 
trition weakened  immune  systems  unaccus- 
tomed to  American  pathogens,  and  the 
primitive  settlement's  burying  grounds  began 
to  fill.  The  settlers  had  been  unwilling  to  learn 
local  methods  of  growing  food  in  the  meager 
soil  they'd  claimed  for  themselves  and  now  it 
was  too  late.  They  expired  one  by  one,  in  the 
worst  of  circumstances,  until  in  the  spring  of 
1610  reinforcements  from  England  found 
only  50  of  the  600  colonists  still  living,  the 
survivors  later  recalling  that  dreadful  winter  as 
"the  starving  time." 


©Spike  Knuth 


Farms  play  an  important  role  in  Virginia's  economy  while  offering  essential  habitat  to  upland  birds 
and  movement  corridors  to  game  animals. 


A  complete  lack  of  preparation  for  the 
foreseeable  challenges  that  would  face  them 
coupled  with  a  short-sighted  belligerence  that 
tragically  alienated  their  only  source  of  suste- 
nance conspired  to  nearly  wipe  out  the  colony 
before  it  could  become  established,  but  it  was 
the  absence  of  a  working  knowledge  of  agri- 
culture, the  only  means  by  which  the  new- 
comers could  have  achieved  a  sustainable 
independence,  that  most  nearly  doomed  the 
expedition.  Not  until  reinforcements  arrived 
from  England  that  summer  did  Jamestown 
again  become  viable,  and  with  the  introduc- 
tion of  new  strains  of  exportable  tobacco  that 
took  readily  to  the  colony's  reinstituted  farm- 
land, the  European  presence  in  North  Ameri- 
ca became  assured. 

Today  its  remaining  farms  and  forest- 
lands  still  play  an  essential  role  in  how  Vir- 
ginia sees  itself.  Agriculture  provides  a 
substantial  percentage  of  the  commonwealth's 
economic  output:  In  a  study  by  the  University 
of  Virginia,  farming  and  forestry-related  in- 
dustries contributed  almost  $79  billion  to  the 
state's  economy  in  2006  and  provided 
501,500  jobs,  or  10.3  percent,  of  total  state 
employment.  According  to  the  state  Depart- 
ment of  Environmental  Quality,  farms  cover 
24  percent  of  Virginias  total  land  area,  while 
an  impressive  65  percent  of  the  state  remains 
forested  with  roughly  85  percent  of  Virginias 
forestland  under  private  ownership.  It  is 
therefore  the  farmer  and  the  private  forest 
owner  that  together  control  the  future  of  both 


By  voluntarily  donating  easements, 
landowners  permanently  relinquish  the  right 
to  intensively  develop  their  property  in  order 
to  protect  conservation  values  such  as  agricul- 
ture, forestry,  and  wildlife  habitat.  "We're 
pleased  to  work  with  localities  interested  in 
preserving  their  working  farm  and  forest- 
land,"  says  Kevin  Schmidt,  Office  of  Farm- 
land Preservation  coordinator  at  the  Virginia 
Department  of  Agriculture  and  Consumer 
Services.  "In  addition  to  the  economic  bene- 
fits associated  with  i^ricultural  and  forestal 
use,  these  farms  and  forests  provide  impor- 
tant wildlife  habitat,  open  space,  and  other 
conservation  values  to  communities  across 
Virginia." 

In  recognition  of  this.  Governor  Bob 
McDonnell  has  renewed  his  pledge  to  con- 
serve farmland  across  the  state.  In  early  2012, 
he  announced  another  $1.2  million  in  grant 
fiinds  available  for  purchasing  development 
rights,  in  order  to  protect  farm  acreage. 


"Those  who  labour  in  the  earth  are  the  chosen 

people  of  God,  if  ever  he  had  a  chosen  people, 

whose  breasts  he  has  made  his  peculiar  deposit 

for  substantial  and  genuine  virtue.  It  is  the 

focus  in  which  he  keeps  alive  that  sacred  fire, 

which  otherwise  might  escape fom  the  face  of 

the  earth. "  -n  t  n- 

—  1  nomas  Jerrerson, 

Notes  on  the  State  of  Virginia  ( 1 78 1 ) 


Virginia's  wildlife  habitat  and  its  storied  agri- 
cultural industry. 

Many  rural  landowners  are  seeking  an 
affordable  way  to  retain  their  open  spaces. 
Residential  and  commercial  development  are 
gobbling  up  farms  and  eradicating  isolated 
pockets  of  woodland  while  larger  forest  tracts 
are  being  broken  up  by  roads  and  more  sub- 
urban growth.  The  agricultural  and  timber 
industries  stand  to  permanently  lose  thou- 
sands of  productive  acres  to  land  conversion, 
while  the  ecological  integrity  of  our  remain- 
ing farms  and  forests  is  of  crucial  concern  to 
the  health  of  the  state's  wildlife. 

Fortunately  for  all  of  us — ^wildlife  in- 
cluded— Virginians  looking  to  protect  their 
farmland,  forests,  and  other  open  spaces  have 
a  proven  method  which  rewards  landowners 
who  choose  to  keep  their  property  intact  and 
undeveloped.  Generous  tax  incentives  are 
available  to  those  wishing  to  permanently 
protect  their  land  from  inappropriate  devel- 
opment with  a  conservation  easement. 


Tim  Brown  surveys  his  farm  in  Accomack  Co 


Two  Virginia  Landowners 
Balancing  Farming  and  Wildlife 

Tim  Brown  farms  corn  and  soybeans  on  637 
acres  in  Accomack  County.  Several  years  ago. 
Brown,  an  avid  wildlife  observer  and  duck 
hunter,  took  advantage  of  a  cost-share  pro- 
gram from  Ducks  Unlimited  (DU)  to  install 
dams  and  dikes  on  the  property  in  order  to 
seasonally  flood  30  acres  of  marginal  farm- 
land to  attract  waterfowl.  Today  the  farm 
plays  host  to  numerous  species  of  duck,  wad- 
ing birds  like  egrets  and  ibises,  migratory 
shorebirds,  and  raptors. 

The  Eastern  Shore  is  known  for  its 
marshy  landscapes,  and  while  the  soil  is  often 
fertile,  some  areas  drain  poorly — which  can 
result  in  lost  crops  after  heavy  rains.  This, 
however,  was  an  ideal  situation  for  a  farmer- 
conservationist  like  Brown,  who  simply  tar- 


22        VIRGINIA  WILDLIFE    ♦    www.HuntFishVA.com 


Brown  seasonally  floods  about  30  acres  of  low 
lying  land,  creating  waterfowl  habitat. 


A  controlled  burn  on  the  Shobe  farm  in  Rockbridge  County  will  rejuvenate  forestland  and  create 
good  habitat  for  a  host  of  wildlife  species. 


geted  those  areas  of  standing  water  and  peren- 
nial flooding  for  wetlands  restoration.  "I  get  a 
great  deal  of  personal  pleasure  from  the  habitat 
management  steps  we've  taken  here,"  says 
Brown,  "and  I'll  go  out  and  watch  the  ducks 
come  in  at  dusk  two  or  three  times  a  week.  The 
wedands  are  almost  a  sanctuary  to  me. " 

By  leveraging  funds  from  both  public 
and  private  sources  via  DU's  cost-share  and 
the  USDA's  Conservation  Reser\'e  Program, 
Brown  has  partially  recouped  the  financial  loss 
of  30  acres  of  (albeit  marginal)  cropland.  A 
ftirther  cost-saver  was  his  decision  to  place  the 
property  under  a  conservation  easement  held 
jointly  by  DU  and  the  Virginia  Eastern  Shore 
Land  Trust,  which  provided  state  and  federal 
income  tax  benefits. 

Tim  Brown's  contribution  to  the  coast's 
wildlife  doesn't  stop  with  his  waterfowl  im- 
poundments. Warm-season  native  grasses 
planted  along  the  borders  of  his  fields  filter 
water  headed  for  the  adjacent  Chesapeake  Bay 
of  fenilizers  that  cause  harmfiJ  algal  blooms, 
and  his  ongoing  wetlands  restoradon  benefits 
everything  from  blue  crabs  to  bald  eagles. 
Carefiil  planning  and  the  advice  of  experts  has 
allowed  Brown  to  integrate  profitable  farming 
with  his  love  of  wildlife — income  for  the  soul. 

At  the  opposite  end  of  the  state,  Eric 
Shobe  and  his  family  own  a  catde-and-timber 
farm  near  Goshen  in  western  Rockbridge 
County  composed  of  500  acres  of  upland  pas- 
ture and  1 ,000  acres  of  mixed  hardwood  for- 
est.  Waterways  flowing  into  the  Little 


Calfpasture  River  are  home  to  rare  native 
brook  trout.  Deer,  wild  turkey,  and  bear  are 
plentifiJ,  and  rirffed  grouse — a  scarce  species 
in  many  parts  of  its  native  range — are  being 
encouraged  with  clearings  planted  with  apple 
and  pear  trees. 

The  property  was  largely  a  climax  forest 
when  he  acquired  it,  Shobe  says,  and  was 
heavily  overpopulated  with  deer,  whose  for- 
aging appetites  were  observable  in  a  stark 
"browse  line'  of  about  five  feet  from  the 
ground,  beneath  which  no  undergrowTh  of 
leafy  branch  went  uneaten.  Active  manage- 
ment began  by  thinning  the  deer  with  aggres- 
sive hunting,  which  gave  the  forest  floor  a 
chance  to  recover  some  greenery. 

More  intensive  steps  were  needed,  so 
Shobe  called  in  the  Virginia  Forestry  & 
Wildlife  Group,  a  land  management  service 
based  in  Afton  that  provides  a  palette  of  op- 
tions for  landowners  seeking  to  enhance  their 
properties'  habitat  qualit}'.  The  company's 
Brian  Morse,  a  wildlife  biologist,  assessed 
Shobe's  farm  and  instigated  a  number  of 
landscape  improvements,  including  con- 
trolled burns,  small  clearcuts,  and  food  plots. 
Even  American  chestnut  trees,  wiped  out 
decades  ago  by  an  alien  blight,  are  being  rein- 
troduced as  saplings  to  their  former  habitat 
after  years  of  careful  selective  breeding. 

"Too  often  it  seems  like  it's  one  or  the 
other,"  Shobe  says  about  farming  and  habitat 
retention.  "We've  struck  a  nice  balance  here 
raising  catde  and  wildlife,  and  I  think  what 


we've  done  has  benefited  both."  Happily  for 
Eric  Shobe  and  his  neighbors,  these  benefits 
will  continue  in  perpetuity;  the  Shobe  farm  is 
protected  by  a  conservation  easement  held  by 
the  Virginia  Outdoors  Foimdation. 

Today,  a  rapidly  changing  common- 
wealth faces  an  escalating  destruction  of  its 
agricultural  heritage,  but  innovanve  farmers 
and  foresters  are  incorporating  habitat  protec- 
tion and  enhancement  into  their  land  use 
plans  to  retain  an  important  component  of 
their  properties.  Whether  you  hunt  and  fish 
yourself  you're  interested  in  leasing  these 
rights  out  to  others,  or  you  simply  find  solace 
in  the  rejuvenating  effects  of  observing 
wildlife  for  its  own  sake,  making  positive  con- 
tributions to  the  wildlife  habitat  on  your  farm 
will  have  real  and  lasting  benefits  to  you  and 
your  legacy.    ?f 

William  H.  Funk  (williamfunk3@verizon.net)  is  a 
writer  and  filmmaker  based  in  Staunton. 


FOR  MORE 
INFORMATION 

Farmland  Preservation  Program, 
Virginia  Agriculture  &  Consumer 
Serviceswww.vdacs.virginia.gov 

Office  of  Land  Conservation, 
Virginia  Department  of  Conservation 
and  Recreation  www.dcr.virginia.gov/ 
land_conservation/index.shtml 


MAY  2012 


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Craig  County s 

Inspirational 

Young  Outdoorsman 

by  Bruce  Ingram 

Those  of  us  who  enjoy  the  outdoors 
have  long  known  how  therapeutic 
spending  time  afield  can  be.  For  1 2- 
year-old  Jake  Bostic  of  Craig  County,  his 
time  outdoors  has  not  only  been  mentally 
restorative  but  also  physically  life  sustaining. 
A  backstory  is  now  required.  When 
Jake  was  six,  he  was  diagnosed  with  Crohn's 
Disease  (an  inflammatory  bowel  disease) 
that  has  made  him  ill  and  even  hospitalized 
him  at  times.  His  mother,  Sue,  has  a  simple 
answer  concerning  what  her  sons  motiva- 
tion is  to  overcome  this  affliction. 

"The  outdoors,"  she  said.  "The  doctors 
have  used  Jake  many  times  as  an  example  of 
'if  there  is  a  will  there  is  a  way'  In  order  to 
keep  going,  Jake  puts  in  a  nasogastric  tube  at 
night  to  feed  himself  1 ,250  calories.  His  dis- 
ease keeps  him  from  maintaining  weight 
easily. 

"Jake  goes  to  the  hospital  to  help  other 
kids  who  have  the  same  disease  and  gives 
them  encouragement.  Jake  will  do  anything 
to  keep  hunting  and  fishing.  There  have 
been  times  we  were  at  a  crossroads  with  Jake 
and  all  the  doctor  had  to  say  was,  'If  you  do 
this  you  will  be  ready  for  hunting  or  fishing' 
whatever  season  was  in  at  the  time  he  was 
sick.  Teachers,  doctors,  and  our  family  give 
complete  credit  for  Jake's  current  remission 
to  God  and  the  outdoors." 

Jake's  physician  is  Dr.  Michael  H. 
Hart,  professor  of  pediatrics  at  Carillion  in 
Roanoke. 


'^^^■y-^m^'-'^^ 


"Jake  is  truly  an  exceptional  young  man," 
Hart  said.  "When  I  first  saw  him  as  a  patient 
he  was  unable  to  walk  from  the  severity  of  his 
joint  involvement  with  his  inflammatory 
bowel  disease,  one  of  the  complications  of 
IBD.  Jake  has  tolerated  very  potent  medica- 
tions, while  never  complaining.  He  has 
learned  to  place  a  nighdy  nasogastric  feeding 
tube  to  maintain  excellent  overall  nutrition, 
which  has  helped  us  withdraw  virtually  all  of 
his  medicines  while  maintaining  an  excellent 
quality  of  life. 

"With  their  willingness  to  talk  with  other 
youngsters  with  similar  diseases,  Jake's  family 
has  been  a  support  to  my  patients.  Jake  has 
thrived  due  to  his  willingness  to  commit  to  his 
therapy  and  whatever  it  takes  to  get  better... 
He  is  an  exceptional  student  and  his  future  is 
very  bright.  I  hope  he'll  choose  to  go  into  a 
medical  field,  as  I  know  he'd  be  a  great  doctor 
someday." 

Dr.  Hart's  comments  about  Jake's  school 
accomplishments  were  echoed  by  Scott 
Critzer,  director  of  testing  for  Craig  County 
Public  Schools.  Critzer  said  that  the  young 
man  was  the  county's  first  elementary  student 
to  make /)^i^rt  scores  on  all  of  his  Standards  of 
Learning  (SOL)  tests. 

"This  young  man  has  a  fantastic  work 
ethic,"  Critzer  said.  "His  ability  to  overcome 
his  disorder  makes  him,  I  believe,  a  role  model 
for  the  other  students." 


♦  ♦  ♦ 


Jake  Bostic  with  a  fine  Craig  County  8-polnter  that  he  harvested  at  age  8.  Left,  Jenna, 
Sue,  and  Jake  hunt  squirrels. 


Once  I  learned  about  Jake's  history,  I 
arranged  to  meet  and  go  squirrel  hunting  with 
this  young  outdoorsman  who  makes  straight 
As  in  school  and  shows  market  lambs  at  com- 
petitions across  the  state  as  his  summer  4-H 
livestock  project;  a  young  man  who  killed  his 
first  squirrel  at  age  6,  who  harvested  an  8-point 
buck  at  age  8,  and  who  ta^ed  a  1 0-pointer  at 
age  1 0.  Given  his  taking  of  an  8-pointer  and 
1 0-pointer  on  even  number  years,  the  young- 
ster had  hoped  to  take  a  1 2-pointer  this  past 
season.  It  was  not  to  be,  however,  although 
Jake  did  manage  to  harvest  six  whitetails. 

First,  I  asked  him  what  he  would  like  to 
say  to  other  young  people  who  sufiir  from 
Crohn's  Disease  or  other  disabilities. 

"The  message  1  would  like  to  give  them  is 
to  have  something  as  their  motivation  so  they 
can  fight  what  is  bothering  them, "  he  told  me. 
"I  like  to  share  with  other  kids  how  much  I 
love  to  go  fishing  and  hunting.  That  I  live  to  be 
outdoors,  and  I  will  do  anything  the  doctors 


tell  me  so  that  I  can  go  outside.  The  outdoors 
is  the  best  thing  there  is. 

"But  the  other  kids  don't  have  to  love  the 
outdoors  like  I  do  to  get  better  They  just  have 
to  have  something  as  a  goal,  I  tell  them.  I  tell 
them  they  can  beat  their  disease  like  I'm  beat- 
ing mine." 

Jake  then  told  of  how  Dr.  Hart  asked 
him  to  go  visit  a  hospitalized  Martinsville  boy 
who  likewise  suffered  from  an  IBD  and  who 
was  feeling  squeamish  about  inserting  his 
feeding  tube.  Jake  did  so,  put  his  own  feeding 
tube  in  as  the  boy  watched,  and  then  proceed- 
ed to  tell  him  about  some  of  his  recent  out- 
door adventures. 

Another  assignment  from  Dr.  Hart  was 
to  have  Jake  and  his  family  dine  at  a  restaurant 
with  a  Roanoke  girl  who  likewise  needed  a 
feeding  tube.  He  encouraged  her  to  insert  the 
tube  herself,  because  her  mother  had  been 
doing  it  for  her,  and  explained  how  the  young 
lady  could  develop  self-reliance  and  become 
more  independent  by  doing  so. 

Of  course,  Jake  has  had  plenty  of  oppor- 
tunities for  self-motivation. 

"When  I  was  9,  I  was  sick  during  late 
summer,"  he  recalled.  "Once,  I  had  to  leave 
the  feeding  tube  in  for  three  weeks,  I  just 
couldn't  gain  any  weight.  But  I  just  had  to  get 
healthy  because  deer  season  was  about  to 


begin.  But  I  kept  trying  to  do  what  the  doctor 
told  me  to  do,  and  I  got  well  enough  to  kill  a 
deer. 

"Another  time,  I  felt  like  I  was  going 
downhill  and  losing  weight  and  just  couldn't 
seem  to  get  better.  But  it  was  spring  gobbler 
season,  and  1  had  to  kill  a  turkey.  I  finally  killed 
a  big  gobbler  but  had  to  go  into  the  hospital  the 
next  day.  I  didn't  want  to  stay  in  the  hospital  be- 
cause I  was  afraid  I  would  miss  the  SOL  tests. 

"So  I  worked  hard  in  the  hospital  to  do 
what  the  doctors  said,  I  got  better,  and  the 
school  said  I  could  take  my  SOL  tests  late.  I 
made  a  perfect  600  score  on  all  of  them." 

On  the  squirrel  himting  expedition,  Jake, 
his  mom,  and  I  hunted  on  one  section  of  the 
property,  while  his  dad  and  sister  Jenna  pur- 
sued squirrels  on  the  other  side.  The  day  was 
windy  and  cold  and  Jake  wasn't  able  to  shoot 
any  silvertails.  I  invited  him  to  come  back  on 
another  day,  and  he  told  me  that  he  would  do 
better  the  next  time  because  he  now  knew  "the 
lay  of  the  land." 

1  expect  Jake  to  conquer  those  bushytails 
the  next  time  he  visits,  just  like  I  expect  him  to 
overcome  any  adversity  he  meets  in  life — 
thanks  to  his  passion  for  the  outdoors.    ?f 

Bruce  Ingram  writes  a  weekly  outdoors  hlogand 
also  has  four  river  smallmouth  books  for  sale  at 
www.  bruceingramoutdoon.  com. 


MAY  2012   ♦      25 


AFIELD  AND  AFLOAT 


Outdoor 
Classics 

tctk  Hater 


Virff-nia  Fishing  Guide 

by  Bob  Gooch.  Updated  by  M.W.  Smith 

2011  University  of  Virginia  Press 

Soft  cover.  $19.95 

Black  and  white  photos.  Maps. 

\\'w\v.  upress.virginia.edu 

(434)  982-2932 

"A  book  that  should  be  on  the  car  seat  of  every 
Virginia  angler. " 

-  Richmond  Times-Dispatch 

This  handy  guide  was  originally  published  in 
1988.  But  how  times  have  changed  in  terms 
of  the  various  resources  available  to  anglers  in 
our  commonwealth.  With  the  advent  of  the 
Internet,  and  with  changes  in  certain  regula- 
tions, the  editors  at  University  of  Virginia 
Press  saw  that  a  new,  updated  version  of  this 
straightforward,  no-frills  outdoor  classic  was 
in  order. 

Author  Bob  Gooch  died  in  2006,  so  it 
was  up  to  M.W.  Smith,  professor  of  English 
and  proprietor  of  Greasy  Creek  Outfitters  to 
rise  to  the  occasion.  This  fresh  edition  con- 
tains a  quick  reference  preface  so  that  anglers 
can  review  at  a  glance  the  major  changes  and 
additions  that  impact  both  saltwater  and 
freshwater  fishing.  Changes  include  'catch 
and  release  only'  designations,  stocking 
schedules  for  trout  streams,  and  changes  to 
laws  and  regulations.  The  book  has  also  been 
given  a  facelift  with  the  addition  of  new  pho- 
tographs and  maps. 

Especially  helpfiil  are  up-to-the-minute 
appendices  that  present  Virginia  anglers  with 
a  wealth  of  angling- related  resources  such  as: 
government  agencies,  publications  and  map 
sources,  fee-based  private  trout  waters,  fish- 
ing guides,  charter  boat  rentals,  and  fishing 
piers.  This  is  a  must-have  volume  for  Virginia 
anglers,  who,  in  light  of  the  current  economic 
climate,  may  be  casting  their  hooks  a  bit  clos- 
er to  home. 


Northern  Pinesnake  Watch 


You  can  help  conserve  and  protect  the  Northern  pinesnake!  The  Virginia 
Department  of  Game  and  Inland  Fisheries  would  like  your  assistance  in  re- 
porting current,  past,  live  or  dead  pinesnake  observations.  If  you  have  seen 
a  pinesnake  or  know  of  a  past  observation  in  the  state,  please  fill  out  the 
form  below  and  send  it  to  the  address  provided.  Your  personal  information 
will  remain  confidential.  Thank  you  for  helping  us  protect  a  natural  rarity! 
Please  include  the  following  information  in  your  observation: 

Date  observed: 


Observation  location  (be  as  specific  as  possible): . 


County  or  City/Town: 


Snake  activity: moving resting dead other  (explain) 


Additional  comments: 


The  below  information  will  be  used  for  confirmation  purposes  only. 
Name: 


Address: 


City/Town:. 


State: 


Zip  Code: 


Daytime  phone  number: 


Additional  information,  such  as  photographs  and/or  location  maps,  is  wel- 
come and  should  be  included  when  possible.  Send  the  completed  form  to 
Mike  Pinder,  Virginia  Department  of  Game  and  Inland  Fisheries,  2206  South 
Main  Street,  Suite  C,  Blacksburg,  VA  24060. 

You  can  also  respond  via  our  Web  link,  at:  www.dgif.virginia.gov/pinesnake 


26        VIRGINIA  WILDLIFE    ♦    www.HuntFishVA.com 


Virginia 
Herpetological 
Society  Events 

May  18-20:  Annual  Spring  Survey  & 
Meeting,  Shenandoah  River  Stare  Park 

June  23-24:  Annual  "HerpBlitz" Survey, 
Mattaponi  Wildlife  Managemenr  Area 

August  18:  1-Day  Survey  Event,  C,2\&Aon 
Natural  Area  State  Park 

More  information  at: 
www.virginiaherpetologicalsociety.com/ 
20 1 2-events/20 1 2-vhs-events/index.htm 


--IMAGE  OF- 
THE  MONTH 


Congratulations  go  to  Diane  and  Johnny 
Hottle  of  Criders  for  their  lovely  portrait  of 
a  piebald  white-tailed  deer.  The  Hottles  said 
that  they  first  saw  the  deer  as  a  fawn  visiting 
the  apple  tree  outside  their  sunroom. 
Appearing  out  of  nowhere  the  fawn  became 
known  as  "Casper,"  and  visited  regularly. 
The  Hottles  used  a  Minolta  SRT 100  35mm 
SLR  camera,  135mm  lens,  and  Fuji  400  ISO 
film. ...film?  Great  shot,  you  guys!! I 

You  are  invited  to  submit  one  to  five  of 
your  best  photographs  to  "Image  of  the 
Month,"  Virginia  Wildlife  Magazine,  P.O. 
Box  11104,  4010  West  Broad  Street,  Rich- 
mond, VA  23230-1104.  Send  original 
slides,  super  high-quality  prints,  or  high- 
res  jpeg,  tiff,  or  raw  files  on  a  disk  and  in- 
clude a  self-addressed,  stamped  envelope 
or  other  shipping  method  for  return. 
Also,  please  include  any  pertinent  infor- 
mation regarding  how  and  where  you 
captured  the  image  and  what  camera  and 
settings  you  used,  along  with  your  phone 
number.  We  look  forward  to  seeing  and 
sharing  your  work  with  our  readers. 


Coming  This  July! 

Change  is  a  part  of  life,  and  that's  certainly  true  of  the 

publishing  world  these  days.  So  you  will  probably  not 

be  surprised  to  learn  that  this  magazine  will 

undergo  some  changes  soon. 

Beginning  this  July,  Virginia  Wildlife  will  become  a  bi-nnonthlv  magazine. 
We  will  add  more  pages,  more  content,  and  more  special  features— as 
we  move  to  six  Issues  a  year:  July-August,  September-October,  November-De- 
cember, January-February,  March-April,  and  May-June.  This  change  means 
that,  even  in  the  face  of  increased  production  costs,  Virginia  Wildlife  will  main- 
tain its  low  subscription  rate  and  remain  free  of  advertising  while  giving  you 
more  of  the  stories  and  photography  that  you  have  asked  for.  Our  goal  is  to 
make  every  issue  bigger  and  better  than  ever! 

We  will  kick  off  the  new  format  with  a  special  feature  about  the  history  of 
the  Pittman-Robertson  Act,  the  legislative  lynchpin  in  the  foundation  of  all 
wildlife  and  sportfishing  restoration  programs  across  this  country.  The  follow- 
ing issue  will  include  a  special  hunting  guide,  running  at  the  start  of  the  fall 
seasons.  Also  coming  to  you  next  year  will  be  a  trout  guide,  a  fishing  forecast, 
and  a  special  outdoors  guide  showcasing  wildlife-related  recreation  opportu- 
nities and  events.  That  guide  will  be  combined  with  our  annual  photography 
contest,  to  be  published  in  July-August  2013.  (More  details  about  the  photo 
contest  will  be  forthcoming;  categories  and  deadline  will  change.) 

The  magazine  staff  is  excited  about  the  new 
format  and  the  opportunity  to  better  serve  our 
loyal  subscribers  who  have  supported  the 
magazine  over  the  past 
73  years.  We  ask  for 
your  patience  as  we 
move  forward,  and 
trust  that  the  new 
and  improved  Virginia 
Wildlife  will  continue 
to  find  a  spot  by  your 
favorite  reading  chair. 


3Si^  Annuar 


Mount 
J,  Naturalist  Rally 


Komarock,  VA  ♦  May  U-12,  2012 

www.mountrogersnaturalistrally.org 


White  tai 

Spring  =  Time  of  Plenty  c 


essay  by 
Matt  Knox 

In  late  winter  as  the  days  begin  to  length- 
en and  temperatures  begin  to  warm,  the 
whitetail's  world  dramatically  changes. 
In  most  areas,  over  the  period  of  about  a 
month  a  deer's  routine  will  evolve  from  a  day- 
to-day  fight  for  survival  to  one  of  choosing 
from  a  nearly  endless  buffet  of  succulent,  nu- 
tritious food.  The  animal  itself  is  literally 
transformed;  its  metabolism  and  activity  lev- 
els increase  significantly  and  its  coat  molts 
from  the  highly  insulating  thick  brown-gray 
coat  of  winter  back  to  the  much  cooler,  thin 
red  coat  of  summer. 

In  terms  of  selection,  quality,  and  quan- 
tity, it  will  be  the  deer's  best  food  season  of  the 
year.  And  with  the  spring  green-up,  a  deer's 
primary  objective  becomes  to  consume  as 
much  high-quality  forage  as  possible. 


All  deer  have  high  nutritional  needs  as 
they  grow  during  the  spring — especially  the 
young,  and  pregnant  does.  Fetuses  that  have 
been  growing  since  fall  begin  putting  signifi- 
cant demands  on  the  mother  and  grow  very 
rapidly  in  the  last  trimester;  bucks  need  ener- 
gy to  grow  antlers;  all  need  energy  to  molt 
their  coats. 

Most  of  the  food  consimied  will  be  new 
herbaceous  vegetation  and  forbs — perfect 
because  it  is  more  succulent,  more  palatable, 
and  more  easily  digested.  On  average,  a  deer 
needs  greater  than  or  equal  to  1 6  percent  pro- 
tein in  its  spring  diet.  Luckily,  much  new 
spring  vegetation  exceeds  20  percent.  Regret- 
tably, preferred  foods  at  this  time  of  year 
often  include  crops  in  agricultural  fields  and 
vegetable  gardens,  and  ornamental  plantings. 

Outside  of  the  fall  rut,  a  buck's  life  is 
pretty  dull,  and  spring  is  no  exception.  Bucks, 
which  re-formed  all-male  bachelor  groups  in 
mid-  to  late  winter,  remain  in  loose  bachelor 


groups  with  size  and  membership  routinely 
changing.  But  something  big  is  beginning  to 
happen.  Spring  is  the  season  when  bucks  will 
begin  to  grow  antlers.  By  early  March,  all 
hard  antlers  from  the  previous  fall  should 
have  been  shed  or  dropped.  By  April,  new 
antlers  begin  to  grow  from  the  pedicels  on 
most  males.  Male  fawns  which  survived  the 
winter  and  are  still  members  of  their  female- 
dominated  family  group  will  begin  growing 
their  first  antlers  at  about  1 0  to  1 1  months  of 
age.  By  1 8  months,  they  will  have  their  first 
set  of  hard  anders. 

The  antler  germinates  from  a  special- 
ized tissue  that  is  located  on  the  top  of  the 
pedicel.  When  environmental  conditions  are 
right,  the  body  sends  signals  to  this  tissue  and 
the  antler  begins  to  grow.  Injuries  to  the 
pedicel  often  result  in  multiple  antlers,  or 
antlers  growing  from  strange  locations  and 
angles. 

Antlers  are  true  bone  grown  by  male 


's... 


>-^< ; 


-.^y 


I  «A 


Biology 

id  Birth  of  the  Fawns 


members  and  are  a  defining  characteristic  of 
the  deer  family,  Cervidae.  (Only  female  rein- 
deer routinely  grow  anders,  and  these  anders 
are  generally  pretty  small.)  Antlers  are  not 
horns.  They  differ  from  the  horns  of  goats 
and  sheep  because  they  are  made  of  true  bone 
and  because  they  are  deciduous,  or  cast  and 
completely  re-grown  every  year.  In  some 
species,  like  bighorn  sheep,  a  ram's  age  can  be 
determined  by  the  annual  rings  of  horn 
growth.  A  buck's  age  cannot  be  determined 
by  his  anders. 

Antler  growth  is  controlled  by  the  pho- 
toperiod,  or  day  length.  By  manipulating 
light,  it  is  possible  to  make  a  deer  grow  several 
sets  of  antlers  in  a  single  year  or  one  set  of 
antlers  over  several  years.  With  the  pre- 
dictable change  of  seasons,  nature  makes  one 
set  of  antlers  per  year.  At  the  height  of  the 
antler  growth  in  late  spring  or  early  summer,  a 
deer's  anders  will  be  growing  nearly  one-half 
to  more  than  one  inch  per  day. 


As  spring  draws  to  an  end,  one  of  the 
biggest  events  in  the  whitetail's  annual  life 
cycle  occurs — birth  of  the  next  generation. 
During  the  final  month  of  spring,  the  fawns 
will  be  born. 

All  of  the  effort  that  went  into  the  rut 
back  in  the  fall  was  designed  to  make  sure 
that  the  majority  of  the  does  woidd  be  bred  at 
about  the  same  time  (mid-November)  so  that 
the  majority  of  fawns  would  hit  the  ground 
about  200  days  later,  at  about  the  same  time. 
In  Virginia,  this  woidd  be  the  first  two  weeks 
of  June,  when  habitat  conditions  are  most  fa- 
vorable for  the  fawns  and  their  mothers.  This 
synchronized  drop  of  fawns  acts  as  a  type  of 
prey  saturation,  hopefully  overwhelming 
predators  and  increasing  the  fawn's  chance  of 
survival  during  the  first  critical  weeks  of  life. 
Good  fawning  areas  or  habitat  are  character- 
ized by  good  cover  for  hiding  the  young  from 
predators. 

Productivity  in  female  deer  is  related  to 


age  and  nutrition.  When  doe  fawns  breed  in 
healthy  deer  herds  and  give  birth  at  one  year 
of  age,  they  almost  always  give  birth  to  a  sin- 
gle fawn.  Most  does  typically  give  birth  at  two 
years  of  age  and  can  have  one  or  two  fawns. 
As  does  reach  age  three  and  older,  given  ade- 
quate nutrition,  twin  fawns  become  the 
norm  and  triplet  fawns  are  not  uncommon. 

A  couple  of  days  before  giving  birth,  a 
doe  will  withdraw  from  her  family  group  and 
select  a  fawning  area  that  will  be  protected 
and  defended  from  all  other  deer.  Family 
group  bonds  will  for  several  weeks  to  a  month 
or  more  be  completely  erased.  This  area  is 
where  the  fawn(s)  will  hide  upon  arrival.  No 
other  deer  will  be  allowed  to  enter  this  area  for 
several  weeks.  This  isolation  allows  the  doe  to 
develop  a  strong  bond  with  her  young — a 
bond  that  is  essential  to  the  fawn  surviving. 

Matt  Knox  is  a  deer  project  coordinator  for  the 
Department,  serving  south-central  Virginia. 

©Bill  Lea 


Accommodating  wilc 


an  humans  and  wildlife  co- 
exist on  a  military  instaila- 
^  tion?  Fort  Belvoir,  a  U.S. 

-___--'  Army  Garrison  located  in  the 
southeastern  part  of  Fairfax  County,  strives  to 
maintain  and  enhance  wildlife  habitat,  biodi- 
versity, and  aesthetics  while  responding  to  the 
development  needs  that  arise  from  mission 
requirements  and  base  realignments.  Envi- 
ronmental stewardship  is  a  major  focus  of 
Fort  Belvoirs  command  group  and  staff. 

One  of  the  ways  that  development  on 
the  base  affects  wildlife  is  by  fragmenting 
habitat,  which  threatens  the  abundance  and 
biological  diversity  of  species.  To  mitigate  the 
ecological  impacts  of  habitat  fragmentation, 
larger  forested  areas  can  be  reconnected  by 
constructing  crossings  that  allow  for  the  safe 
movement  of  wildlife  between  such  areas. 

In  1993,  the  garrison  established  the 
Fort  Belvoir  Forest  and  Wildlife  Corridor,  a 
continuous  forest  band  between  the  Jackson 
Miles  Abbott  Wedand  Refuge  in  the  north- 
eastern corner  and  the  Accotink  Bay  Wildlife 
Refuge  in  the  south-central  portion  of  the  in- 
stallation. The  purpose  of  the  corridor  is  to 


prevent  genetic  isolation  of  animal  popula- 
tions by  fostering  the  movement  of  wildlife 
and  providing  continuous  forest  habitat  for 
activities  like  foraging,  bedding,  and  breed- 
ing. According  to  Michael  Hudson  and  Gre- 
gory Fleming  in  Fort  Belvoir's  BRAG 
Operations  Office,  the  Fort  Belvoir  Forest 
and  Wildlife  Corridor  connects  larger  natural 
areas,  such  as  Huntley  Meadows  Park  to  the 
north  and  Pohick  Bay  Regional  Park,  Mason 
Neck  State  Park,  and  Mason  Neck  National 
Wildlife  Refuge  to  the  south,  to  create  a  1 5- 
mile  continuous  corridor,  which  helps  to  im- 
prove genetic  diversity  off-site. 

Current  management  plans  contain  rec- 
ommendations regarding  the  maintenance 
and  enhancement  of  existing  wildlife  cross- 
ings and  identify  locations  for  future  wildlife 
crossing  structures  to  direct  animal  move- 
ment close  to  home — across  the  installations 
roads.  According  to  Fleming,  numerous  fac- 
tors are  considered  when  designing  crossings 
for  optimal  wildlife  use,  such  as  whether 
wildlife  species  will  cross  at  the  specified  loca- 
tion, the  crossing  will  fit  into  the  surrounding 
landscape,  and  the  dimensions  of  the  crossing 


Fort  Belvoir 
Wlldllfs  Road  Crossings 


Fort  Belvoir  Wildlife  Road  Crossings  Map 

This  map  depicts  the  expansion  of  wildlife 
refuges,  as  well  as  the  wildlife  crossings  de- 
signed and/or  established,  on  Fort  Belvoir. 
(Map  courtesy  ofthe  U.S.  Army.) 


will  accommodate  the  targeted  species.  Some 
animals  tend  to  follow  water  sources,  while 
others  stick  to  migratory  routes. 

The  garrison  has  constructed  three  addi- 
tional wildlife  crossings  for  large  mammals, 
small  mammals,  and  amphibians  to  cross  be- 
neath roads  on  the  installation.  These  struc- 
tures are  intended  to  connect  forest  habitat 
and  help  maintain  abundant,  healthy,  and  di- 
verse wildlife  populations  that  exist  on  and 
off  the  installation.  They  are  also  intended  to 
reduce  wildlife-vehicle  collisions,  thereby 
lowering  the  risk  of  harm  to  people,  animals, 
and  property. 

™    This  article  was  contributed  by  Tara  £  Wiedeman, 
=    Senior  Associate  and  Project  Manager  at  Travesky 
©    &  Associates,  Ltd. 


30        VIRGINIA  WILDLIFE    ♦    www.HuntFishVA.com 


ifeat 


-7 


nm    M 


Large  Mammal  Crossing 

The  box  culvert  on  the  left  allows  the  safe  passage  of  large  mammals  (e.g.,  coyotes  and 
deer)  under  Pohick  Road,  between  the  Staff  Sgt.  John  D.  Linde  Visitor  Center  and  the  Recy- 
cling Center.  This  crossing  connects  a  training  area  to  the  Accotink  Bay  Wildlife  Refuge  and 
serves  as  a  stormwater  overflow  device  during  high  water  events.  The  box  culvert  on  the 
right  was  established  to  support  the  normal  flow  of  the  stream  beneath  the  road.  (Photo 
by  Gregory  W.  Fleming,  Environmental  Specialist,  Fort  Belvoir  BRAC  Operations  Office.) 


Small  Mammal  Crossing 

Since  the  pipe  in  the  stream  channel  on 
the  left  contains  water  flow  control  de- 
vices, a  secondary  pipe  was  installed  on 
the  right  to  assist  small  mammals  (e.g., 
groundhogs,  foxes,  opossums,  raccoons, 
and  skunks)  to  cross  Gunston  Road,  be- 
tween 1st  Street  and  3rd  Street,  and  to  ac- 
commodate stormwater  overflow.  This 
pipe  connects  a  small,  wooded  patch  and 
a  training  area.  (Photo  by  Gregory  W. 
Fleming,  Environmental  Specialist,  Fort 
Belvoir  BRAC  Operations  Office.) 


MAY  2012    ♦      31 


Photo  Tips 

by  Lynda  Richardson 


Give  Yourself  a  Photography  Assignment:  Practice! 


While  brushing  up  on  my  studio  photography  skills,  I  asked  my  Jack  Russell  terrier,  Miss  Bug,  if  she 
would  pose  as  a  butterfly  for  me.  Thank  goodness  she's  a  patient  and  skilled  (though  underpaid) 
model.  ©  2012  Lynda  Richardson 


I  can  tell  that  I  get  really  rusty  if  I'm  not 
shooting  images  all  the  time.  As  with  any 
skill,  you  need  to  practice  to  retain  a  certain 
level  of  expertise.  To  stay  on  top  of  their 
game,  a  musician,  a  ballerina,  or  a  golf  pro 
need  weekly — if  not  daily — practice.  And  so 
does  a  serious  photographer. 

Some  photographers  just  pick  up  their 
cameras  to  shoot  special  occasions,  such  as  a 
vacation  or  a  birthday  party.  I  have  to  say  that 
if  I  waited  that  long  in  between  shooting,  I 
would  forget  the  features  on  my  camera! 

So  I  like  to  go  out  and  practice.  One  day, 
I  might  work  on  reconnecting  with  my 
macro  abilities,  while  other  times  I  might  re- 
fresh my  long  lens  flash  photography  skills.  I 
haven't  done  much  studio  work  lately,  so  I've 
been  practicing  those  skills  using  my  little 


Jack  Russell  terrier.  Miss  Bug,  as  a  model.  I 
have  also  been  going  over  my  image  process- 
ing skills  to  stay  current  with  the  latest  com- 
puter software  improvements. 

When  I  used  to  whitewater  kayak,  a 
"bombproof"  roll  was  an  extremely  impor- 
tant skill  to  have.  Being  able  to  right  your 
boat  immediately  after  it  flips  over  in  a  fast- 
swirling  current  is  essential  and  sometimes  a 
life  or  death  skill.  Every  whitewater  kayaker 
practices  their  roll  because  constant  practice 
reinforces  the  body's  "muscle  memory"  to  go 
into  action,  particularly  in  stressful  situations. 
Your  life  literally  depends  on  your  ability  to 
successfully  roll  your  boat! 

Practicing  photography  is  like  rolling 
your  boat.  You  give  your  hands  and  brain 
"muscle  memory"  to  react  accurately  and 


quickly  in  any  circumstance.  Something 
practiced  becomes  second  nature.  If  the  per- 
fect scene  plays  out  before  you,  do  you  want 
to  be  fumbling  with  your  camera  and  miss 
the  greatest  photograph  of  your  life?  I  think 
not!  Practicing  your  photographic  skills  will 
do  nothing  but  help  you  become  a  better 
shooter. 

Self-assignments  can  be  really  flan  and 
challenging.  Here  are  some  examples  of  self- 
assignments  that  you  may  find  usefiil: 

l.Pick  your  least  favorite  lens  or  focal 

length  and  use  only  that  to  shoot  for  the 

day; 

2.  Pick  a  location  and  only  photograph 
things  that  are  a  specific  color,  like  pur- 
ple or  orange; 

3.  Only  photograph  subjects  that  are 
backlit  and  use  your  pop-up  flash  to  add 
light  to  them; 

4.  Hunt  for  and  photograph  things  in  the 
shape  of  a  heart; 

5.  Only  photograph  monochromatic  im- 
ages or  scenes; 

6.  Select  a  5'  by  5'  area  and  spend  30-60 
minutes  photographing  things  inside 
that  space  and  that  space  alone. 

Does  that  give  you  some  ideas? 

The  old  adage  "practice  makes  perfect" 
has  real  truth  and  purpose  behind  it.  You 
might  not  need  to  roll  a  kayak,  but  you  do 
need  to  be  bombproof  when  those  photo- 
graphic opportunities  present  themselves! 
Good  Luck  and  Happy  Shooting! 


Lynda  Richardson's 
Photography  Workshops 

All  classes  are  held  at  Lewis  Ginter  Botan- 
ical Garden.  Go  to  www.lewisginterorg 
to  register  and  look  under  Adult  &  Family 
Education  or  call  (804)  262-9887  X322 
(M-F,9am-5pm). 


32 


VIRGINIA  WILDLIFE    ♦    www.HuntFishVA.com 


n  th6  \A/at6r 


by  Tom  Guess 


All  Too  Often 


I  often  reminisce  about  my  childhood 
when  May  arrives  and  I  walk  outside  with 
sleepy  eyes  into  the  early  morning  warmth  of 
the  sun  heating  my  face.  The  smells  of  freshly 
cut  grass  mixed  with  a  hint  of  onion  and  other 
spring  aromas  remind  me  that  it's  time  to  start 
shifting  my  thoughts  to  Mothers  Day,  sum- 
mer vacations,  the  Memorial  Day  holiday,  hit- 
ting the  water  to  fish  and  boat,  and  National 
Safe  Boating  Week. 

What?  National  Safe  Boating  Week? 

The  National  Safe  Boating  Campaign 
and  National  Safe  Boating  Week  are  held  each 
year  during  the  week  leading  up  to  Memorial 
Day.  This  year's  campaign  rims  May  19-25. 
The  focus  is  always  on  reminding  people  that  a 
life  jacket  will  save  your  life  and,  more  simply, 
to  "Wear  It! "  not  just  during  this  week  but 
throughout  the  entire  boating  season.  Much 
like  a  seatbelt,  it's  too  late  to  put  on  a  life  jacket 
after  a  boating  accident.  A  life  jacket  is  vet)' 
difficult  and  sometimes  nearly  impossible  to 
put  on  in  the  water  because  of  its  inherent 
buoyancy. 

On  average,  500  people  drown  annually 
nationwide  while  boating  due  to  not  wearing  a 
life  jacket.  Here  in  Virginia,  we  experience  an 
averse  of  20  fatalities  annually,  with  over  85 
percent  of  them  being  attributed  to  drowning 
due  to  capsizing  or  falls  overboard  while  not 
wearing  an  approved  life  jacket.  A  person  who 
finds  himself  in  the  water  unexpectedly  is  4.4 
times  more  likely  to  drown  without  a  life  jack- 
et, even  if  they  are  an  exceptional  swimmer. 

It  was  just  one  of  those  warm,  late  spring 
days  that  I  recall  while  serving  in  the  U.S. 
Coast  Guard  as  officer  in  charge  of  a  station  on 
the  Middle  Peninsula.  This  particularly  beau- 
tiful day,  we  received  a  call  for  a  possible 
drowning  from  a  fall  overboard.  When  we  ar- 
rived on  the  scene,  we  were  told  by  the  family 
that  a  middle-aged  gentleman  had  decided  to 
do  some  fishing  in  a  cove  in  front  of  his  prop- 
erty while  his  entire  family  was  gathered  for  a 
cookout.  While  he  was  maneuvering  his  boat 


to  the  spot  where  he  wanted  to  fish,  he  fell 
into  the  water  without  wearing  his  life  jacket. 

Unfortunately,  he  was  imable  to  swim 
and,  to  add  to  the  misfortune,  none  of  his 
family  members  on  shore — only  a  few  hun- 
dred feet  away — noticed  him  fall  overboard. 
Once  they  realized  he  was  not  on  his  boat,  it 
was  too  late.  He  disappeared  below  the  sur- 
face and  subsequendy  drowned  in  front  of  his 
family  in  about  six  feet  of  water.  When  we  ar- 
rived on  the  scene,  we  discovered  that  his 
boat,  a  typical  rim-about,  had  all  of  the  ap- 
propriate safety  equipment  onboard.  But,  as 
is  the  case  all  too  often,  his  approved  life  jacket 
was  on  the  deck  next  to  his  seat. 

This  is  a  sobering  and  all-too-familiar 
sight  in  boating  accidents...  and  a  stark  re- 
minder of  how  things  could  have  turned  out 
much  differendy. 

Remember,  while  you're  on  the  water 
this  boating  season:  Be  Responsible  by  not  con- 
suming alcoholic  beverages  while  operating  a 
boat;  Be  Safe  and  always  wear  an  approved 
and  properly  fitting  life  jacket;  and  Have  Fun, 
because  this  is  what  boating  should  be  about! 

Tom  Guess,  U.S.  Coast  Guard  (Ret),  serves  as  the 
state  boating  law  administrator  at  the  DGIF. 


NaOonal 
Safe 

Boadi^ 
week 

Nay 

19-25 


MAY  2012    ♦      33 


nin 


by  Ken  and  Maria  Perrotte 


FishTajitas 


This  sandwich  is  a  cross  between  a  taco  and  a  fajita.  Guess 
diat  would  make  it  a  "tajita"  and  it's  a  good  recipe  to  try 
for  your  Cinco  de  Mayo  table.  We  tried  and  tweaked  a  couple  of 
existing  fish  taco  recipes,  but  finally  decided  to  create  something 
both  intuitive  and  spontaneous. 

For  this  dish,  you  can  use  just  about  any  kind  of  firm,  flaky 
white  fish — from  catfish  to  crappie  in  the  freshwater  realm  to 
rockfish,  flounder,  and  mahi-mahi  in  salt  water.  The  key  is  not 
using  fillets  that  are  too  thin.  You  want  some  substance  when 
you  sink  your  teeth  into  the  meal.  Also,  the  two  sauce  options 
are  better  if  made  ahead  of  time.  They  can  be  stored  in  an  air- 
tight container  in  the  refi'igerator  for  a  day  or  two. 

Get  creative  with  toppings  and  garnishes.  Ideally  they 
should  provide  some  texture,  including  a  little  crunch,  and  ofi^- 
setting  flavors  to  the  heat  from  some  of  the  spices  and  jalapeno. 
Everything  from  chopped  cabbage,  lettuce,  tomatoes,  or  peeled 
and  diced  cucumbers  could  be  used. 

Ingredients 

3  tablespoons  olive  oil,  divided 

44  cup  chopped  yellow  or  Vidalia  onion 

1  cup  chopped  sweet  green,  yellow 
and/or  red  peppers 

'72  fresh  jalapeno  pepper,  diced  or  very 
thinly  sliced  (seeds  and  ribs  removed) 

2  teaspoons  diced  rehydrated  dried 
Mexican  peppers  (we  like  Guajillo  or 
anchos) 

2  cloves  garlic,  minced 

1  pound  fish  fillets 

Dash  cayenne  pepper 

Dash  salt  and  black  pepper 
4  flour  tortillas,  6-  to  8-inch  diameter  works  best 
1  tablespoon  chopped  scallions  (green  onions) 
1  ripe  avocado,  sliced 
1  ripe  mango,  sliced  with  some  slices  cut  small  in  a  julienne  style 

Preparation 

Heat  2  tablespoons  of  olive  oil  in  a  cast  iron  skillet  over  medium 
low  heat.  Saute  the  onions  and  sweet  peppers  for  a  couple  of 
minutes,  adding  a  litde  salt  and  pepper,  until  they  begin  to  get 
soft.  Add  the  hot  peppers  and  garlic  and  cook  another  couple  of 
minutes.  Remove  from  pan  and  set  aside. 


In  the  same  skillet,  add  the  rest  of  the  olive  oil.  Sprinkle 
the  fish  with  salt  and  pepper  and  cook  over  medium  to  medi- 
um-high heat  until  opaque.  The  fish  also  could  be  grilled  or 
even  fried,  if  you  prefer. 

Break  the  fish  into  ample  chunks  or  strips  and  place  the 
pieces  in  warmed  tortillas.  Spoon  the  vegetables  over  the  fish 
and  place  a  slice  of  avocado  and  a  sprinkling  of  julienned 
mango  and  chopped  scallions  into  the  tortilla.  Top  with  a  dol- 
lop or  two  of  favored  sauce.  Add  bigger  mango  and  avocado 
slices  to  the  plate.  Serve  immediately.  Red  beans  and  rice 
make  a  nice  side  dish.  Serves  2. 

Sour  Cream  Taco  Sauce 

3  tablespoons  sour  cream 

3  tablespoons  mayonnaise 

1  tablespoon  finely  sliced  scallions  (green  onion) 

1  small  clove  garlic,  finely  minced 

Vi  teaspoon  lime  zest 

1  Vi  teaspoon  diced  rehydrated  dried  Mexican  peppers 

1  tablespoon  finely  chopped  fresh  cilantro 

V4  teaspoon  cumin 

V&  teaspoon  coriander 

Vz  teaspoon  paprika 

Va  teaspoon  salt 

1  Vi  teaspoons  lime  juice 

Yogurt  and  Dill  Sauce 

3  tablespoons  plain  yogurt 
3  tablespoons  mayonnaise 
1  tablespoon  finely  sliced  scallions  (green  onion) 

1  tablespoon  finely  chopped  fresh  cilantro 

Vi  fresh  jalapeno  pepper,  finely  diced  (seeds  and  ribs  removed) 
Va  teaspoon  dill 
Va  teaspoon  cumin 
Va  teaspoon  salt 

2  teaspoons  lime  juice 

Combine  all  sauce  ingredients.  To  rehydrate  dried  peppers, 
place  in  a  pan  of  water,  bring  to  a  boil,  remove  from  heat,  and 
let  sit  for  at  least  an  hour.  Slice  open  and  remove  the  stem, 
seeds,  and  membranes.  Guajillos  have  a  strong,  papery  skin. 
If  the  skin  remains  tough,  scrape  out  the  flesh  and  discard  the 
skin.  Chop  and  whisk  together  or  puree  everything  in  a  food 
processor. 


34        VIRGINIA  WILDLIFE    ♦    www.HuntFishVA.com 


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If  fishing  In  designated  stocked  trout  watei^ 
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or  call  toll-free  800-723-2728. 


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